Those in the Spiral
by Cuervo Blanco
Summary: A redhead woman had 'accidentally' appeared near Konoha. Claiming to be a distant relative of Uzumaki Kushina, the redhead, seal mistress and self proclaimed artist, adopts a familiar blond haired prankster. Oh, her name is ... Kurama. (NaruHina as main pairing. Slow updating and pace).
1. Act 1: Creed

**Those in the Spiral**

**Act 1**

**Chapter 1: Creed**

* * *

It was way too hot, even for a summer midnight in **Fire **Country. The weather was usually fresh, but the summer was kind of a hellish, especially for the poor ANBU agents patrolling the woods surrounding the great Konoha, hidden in the deep foliage created by the Shodaime Hokage decades ago. And sadly, the ANBU with the pig mask, 'Bunta', was wondering why Inari had abandoned him when he picked the short straw for the patrol's rotation two days ago. He had been in full duty in the black corps for six months, and this by far had been the most _exciting _(please, note the sarcasm) thing that he had done in that time, well, that and Mitarashi Anko's insane nightmarish training through four of those six months.

"_That's it! I will go straight to Ichiraku's after my shift is done and I will buy THREE of the extra-large bowls of the extra spicy special ramen that they have."_

Sadly, thoughts of deliciousness goddess were brutally crushed in an instant by the detection of an approaching presence at his right. Now in high alert, 'Bunta' readied himself for whoever was coming. The culprit in question wasn't making any effort in hiding his/her presence, which could mean, even it was highly unlikely, a lost traveler. It also could mean that it was a decoy meant for distraction while other party bypassed their defenses. 'Bunta' verified that the latter wasn't the case, and he knew that his other companions were already alert and ready to act at any given moment. The term 'Hidden Village' wasn't for show. It practically was virtually impossible to find one by normal means. The clients contacted the village through special agents and informants that only few people possessed the knowledge off. The system was large and tedious with security measures upon security measures. But even then, from time to time spies find their way through the labyrinth of deception. That's why infiltration mission were so high ranked, and that's why spies were so dangerous.

Soon enough the newcomer showed up. It was a female, a woman between her late teens to her early twenties, really young. Her hair was long, waist length, and of deep crimson color. She had a normal height for a woman, and her skin was slightly tan, though it wasn't too clear under the shadows of the night and the pale light of the crescent moon. The woman wore a white kimono with orange flaming looking vines as tribal design on it; the _obi _around her waist was dyed with the same flaming orange. She wore a pair of light orange _getas _as footwear; completing her attire, she wore a crimson lipstick as her only make up. Two medium sized scrolls hanged on her waist.

'Bunta' observed without shame that the woman was curvaceous on the right places, with healthy amount of cleavage on her chest (Bunta would eat his ninjato with salt if the woman wasn't at least E cup), with the darkest red eyes that he had ever seen, making wonder if she wasn't related to Yuhi Kurenai or those damned Uchiha. Perverted ideas aside, the ANBU made his presence being known.

"Halt and state your purpose." Such crude words and rude tone were the epitome of a gentleman giving a warm welcoming (again, note the sarcasm).

"Ara, ara. I thought that I took the wrong direction, but it seems that I was on the right path. Your presence tells me that Konohagakure is near, ne?"

Two other ANBU agents chose to jump in, quite literally, from the branches and surrounded the woman while leaving 'Bunta' to deal with the situation. Her stumbling near the village hadn't been a coincidence by her own admision. One of the agents had long purple hair and cat mask while the other had spiky black hair with a tiger mask.

"State your purpose." repeated Bunta, while Neko and Tora reached their ninjatos, just in case.

"So boring." said the woman with a cute pout. "Well, I'm looking a survivor member of my clan that I suspect is living in Konoha."

"Who are you, and who are you looking for?"

"Well, my name is Kurama... Uzumaki Kurama... Nice to meet you, ANBU-san."

* * *

1:05 am

It was the _hour of the ox_. Some may wonder which obscure reason the Sandaime Hokage had to be in his office dealing with mountains of paperwork at these unholy hours. Insomnia, perhaps? Somebody said that maybe the old leader was burying the grief that the departure of his beloved wife, Sarutobi Biwako, had caused him, with the unhealthy amounts of paperwork. This was partially true, at least for the first year and 2 months after her death and the whole Kyuubi mess; but it had been 5 years since then, and thus the old man had found a way to still go on with the pain of the eternal slumber of a beloved one. The ache was there, but he lived on like he had always done, like the life of the shinobi had taught him since his youth.

Now, 5 years afterwards the main reason of his late workaholic tendencies had changed into the mission of reducing the amount of paperwork that was starting to grow magically on his desk.

But now, the man was inhaling slowly from his dear pipe while looking without blinking the redhead woman in front of him. Two minutes ago, a patrolling squad brought her after finding her wandering near their patrol spot. Two of the three returned to finish the shift, but one of them, Bunta, staid just in case his presence was needed.

"So... you are an Uzumaki."

"Last time I check, yeah, and don't doubt it -ttebane!"

That last catch phrase caught the old man unguarded, since for a second he saw the image of certain redhead jinchuuriki superposed over the body of their _guest._ The woman continued her introduction.

"Sorry for my outburst, Hokage-dono. Though I thought that I had corrected the habit long time ago, I sometimes relapse when I'm excited."

"I see." "_The red hair is the same, her round face is also similar to Kushina's, thought hers is sharper. Though, those red eyes, haven't heard of a red eyed Uzumaki. Blue, green and gray eyes yes, but never red._"

"I came here because I recently found out that a member of my clan, Uzumaki Kushina, came to this village before Uzu no Kuni was destroyed."

"And who told you this?"

"An old merchant called Genzo that lived in Grass Country. He and his father had some business with our clan in the past, and he had friends among us."

"Do you have any proof that you are indeed an Uzumaki?"

Kurama seemed to ponder the question for a moment.

"Well, if you want, I can craft one of our traditional seals in front of you, or I can show you our _**Troellog**_ **Seal**."

While the first suggestion was good, it was easy to fake, since a proficient enough fuinjutsu master could learn a fake the seal, and, while he was the _Shinobi no Kami,_ Sarutobi Hiruzen knew that his knowledge of seals was limited. The second one thought got his attention, and further probed this woman claims.

_Troellog_ meant Spiral in a language long forgotten, and was like a birthmark for all the members of the now almost extinct clan. Somehow, the founder of said clan had created a special seal in the shape of an spiral that could be used to identify the authenticity of his kin, something that was essential at the time when other ninja clans, like the Iga and the Itezora, tended to impersonate clan members of rival clans and infiltrate them, or when some shape shifter demons did the same for the sole porpouse of cause mayhem and devastation among humans. Said symbol had specific sizes with a specific color pattern, and was placed in a certain location. But the sheer brilliance of it came in the fact that, any newborn member of the clan was born with said spiral henceforth, one that was hidden unless **willingly **uncovered, and it meant that one could not force the seal to show, because it was closely tied to the person's soul. The Shodaime Hokage tried to study to uncover the secrets of said seal with the help of his wife, Uzumaki-Senju Mito, because the knowledge of how to make a "Hereditary Seal" (like it was recognized among the Uzumaki) was lost, but both of them failed. The Shodaime did learnt a few things, and actually created the _Shiki Fuin_ that was used as a base seal to seal the Kyuubi in Naruto, which explained the big spiral in the center of said seal.

But said knowledge was known by only few people outside the clan of whom Sarutobi Hiruzen was the only one alive. The fact that this woman knew about it was proof enough.

"It is alright, I believe you, though I will check some things later." A deep sigh. The next bit will not be pleasant. "About your early question, Uzumaki Kushina was indeed living in this village, but sadly, she died in the attack that we suffered by the Kyuubi no Kitsune 5 years ago. She was in the front lines, and helped a lot in the defeat of the beast, but it cost her life in the process."

"Damn!"

"Yeah, it was a heavy loss for us...But I have good news: she gave birth to a son. His name is Naruto."

* * *

The Hokage and Kurama talked about many things, like part of her story and journeys, as her skills until the _hour of the rabbit. _The woman insisted that she wasn't a shinobi but did know how to manipulate chakra; if anything, she said that she was an artist of high caliber and, as almost every Uzumaki, a fuinjutsu mistress.

This brought a smile to the old leader's face, because masters of the art were incredible rare, despite the usefulness of it. Jiraiya was one, but he had other more pressing things to do with his time, and the few ninjas in the village that had knowledge of it were amateurs at best.

Kurama declared her intentions to settle and start a fuinjutsu-related-service business: from weaponry enhancement, to barrier construct, to warding, even medical fuinjutsu, all was included. She would be tested of course to get a licensed, but the old man knew that it was just formality, given who the woman was.

The other major point spoke among the two was Naruto. Kurama wanted to adopt the kid and it wasn't negotiable. Sarutobi was all for it, because the kid deserves a loving family and care, especially after he had been living on his own ever since he was kicked out of the orphanage 18 months ago. It took him almost a year to learn about it. Let just say that nobody will see Hakamura Sen-san, the old director of the orphanage, ever again. The problem was that Naruto wasn't a normal kid; he was a jinchuuriki and an asset to the village. He could see the headache that the council, both civilian and shinobi, would give him when they learn of it. Oh well, he was The Hokage; they would have to get over it. Still, some truth was one it, since Konoha needed Uzumaki Naruto as one of their shinobi, and THAT wasn´t negotiable.

After finishing their immediate concerns, both decided to call it a day, before turning in to rest for a few hours.

* * *

"Hey old man, did you called me?"

"Good day Naruto, please sit, let me finish this paper first, before talking a little bit."

Naruto knew that something was off. He usually was the one to visit the Hokage once in a while, or the Hokage himself ambushed him in random parts of the village and talk to him for a while, but he never had been called to the most powerful man's office until now.

A minute later, and the Hokage finished what he was doing before addressing the purpose of their visit.

"Hey Naruto, how have you been doing? It has been a while since I saw you."

"Cool old man, I'm just being my awesome self- ttebayo."

Hiruzen chuckle to the kid's cheerful attitude while asking him questions about his time in the civilian academy. Since Naruto was too young, he would need to wait until he was 8, three more years, before enrolling in the Ninja Academy, thought he could enroll him early with enough push. Those had been his plants so far but with last night arrival, he had to reconsider his plans.

"Hey Naruto, I have a surprise for you." Pushing a button on his desk he said to his secretary. "Yuzu-san please let her in."

A quick affirmative later from his secretary, a redhead woman entered the office and sit down next to Naruto.

"Kurama this is Naruto."

"Are you sure? He doesn't have _her_ auburn red hair, and his eyes are way too shiny for an Uzumaki."

"Hey! My eyes are not shiny. I'm just too awesome, onee-chan dattebayo!"

"Okay, maybe they really are related after all."

"Old man, what is going on here? I don't understand."

"Sorry Naruto, I think introductions are necessary. Let me present you Uzumaki Kurama."

"WHAT?! UZUMAKI?!"

Naruto was now on his feet barreling Kurama with one question after another.

"Are you my mom? Did you know my parents? Where were you? Do you like ramen?" and so off.

Kurama, obviously frustrated with the assault, decided that enough was enough before taking a small paper from her pouch and stuck it on Naruto's arm. The effect was instantaneous.

With a yell of surprise, Naruto jumped backwards, as he had been stung by something while he rubbed his arm.

"Teaser Seal, it's quite useful." Murmured Kurama, even though both the old man and the hidden ANBU agents caught what she said. "No I'm not your mother, though I kind of knew your mom, but not that much, and sorry kid, but I don't have the slightest clue of who you father is. And I don't like ramen..." this made Naruto less happy, "... I LOVE RAMEN!"

"As you should." Nodded Naruto sagely.

"Yeah, ramen is life- dattebane!"

"Where have you been all my life." said Naruto dramatically as he latched into one of Kurama's legs while crying in happiness. The Sandaime just stood there, unable to grasp the surrealism of the situation in front of him; to him, it was like Kushina had reincarnated in this woman.

"Ahem... I'm sure that you and Naruto had a lot to talk about, but there matters that need to be discussed, right, Kurama-san?"

"Oh yeah, kind of forgot that. Hey kid, we wanted to know if you want me to adopt you as your new mom." Said Kurama with the whole finesse and subtlety of Mitarashi Anko in a dango shop.

Sarutobi Hiruzen face palmed at her blunt statement. And Naruto, well, Naruto lived up his reputation as the most unpredictable kid in all Konoha.

He fainted.

"Oops. I think that we broke him, Hokage-dono."

* * *

While Naruto was out of commission, it gave Kurama and Sarutobi time for more talk, after waving a minor sound proof genjutsu in the office, and double layered one on Naruto.

"Hey, Hokage-dono, the kit is a Jinchuuriki, isn't it? Nine Tails?"

"What makes you say that, Kurama-san?" said the Hokage with a poker face, while he signalized the hidden ANBUs in the room to get ready if it was needed.

"Please, don't insult my awesomeness. I'm an Uzumaki, remember? I can FEEL the massive sealing arrays all over his body. And since you have _massive _demon problems 5 years ago then… " the redhead trailed off, but the message was clear.

"You are, indeed, correct in your assumptions, and it is impressive to see how skillful an Uzumaki is with the Sacred Arts of Sealing."

"Yeah, we are really awesome. By the way, who had been taking care of the gaki till know?" asked the redhead way to innocently. Sarutobi, once more, had to use the noble and ancient art of BSing the truth.

"Well, he had been living in a orphanage so far, since his jinchuuriki status had been a barrier between him and a caring family. I have been taking care of him recently, but because my many duties, I have given him his own apartment while I check on him periodically."

"WHAT! The villager know about him being a demon jailor? Why? Isn´t it a mayor flaw of security?"

"Yeah, and sadly, it is my fault because I was the one to made it public. No one of my most brilliant ideas I must confess. But to protect him, I put a law in place under the penalty of death to anyone who reveals this to persons that don´t know it. Like that…"

"... the younger generation would not know about it, giving Naruto a chance to make friends. I think I get, Hokage-dono, but it is also a tad too naïve idea."

"True enough. While none of this generation know about Naruto's status, their parents mistrust and resented had been passed down to their kids, resulting in Naruto's difficult social life." "_An understatement" _"And Naruto doesn´t know about it either. Which reminds me, you too fall under this law, Uzumaki-san."

It was a simple tactic of subtle misdirection. Taking the blame, the Hokage softened any backlash that the Uzumaki could unleash on him at the same time that he took the attention of the important facts away to other, less dangerous, matters. It worked.

"But the gaki needs to know at some point. I have seen and dealt with jinchuurikis before, and I know for a fact that demons will do anything to get their freedom back, and deceive is near the top of their list. If Naruto is not aware, he could be tricked to do something that would compromise his seal."

"To tell the truth, I was waiting until he achieves the rank of _Tobunketsu Jounin_ at least, to tell him."

"You seem sure that he will become a shinobi."

"Well, I know for a fact that both his parents wanted him to be strong enough to protect himself, and they were excited to past down their shinobi knowledge to their son."

"I see. Well, he _will decide_ what he wanted to do when the time comes."

"Indeed, he _will._"

MNGHMNHM.

The sound of Naruto waking up cut short their conversation. Knowing that they would have to continue at a later date, the adults came to the no-spoken deal to change topics. Lifting the genjutsu from Naruto without him noticing, both adults watched how Naruto woke up with a confused face at first, like disoriented about his environment. A second later, his brain seemed to reboot back to normal and in a span of two short second his confusion turned to disbelief and then to hope when he turned to Kurama, who was smiling at him.

"Nee-chan, did you really meant it?"

"Of course gaki, that is if you want me, if not I understand then…" She may a show to start to pick herself and get out of here… or she tried to, because out of nowhere, a blond missile collided with her.

Surprised, the redhead woman looked down to see a blond little kid hugging her waist as much as he could while looking at her with crying eyes, smiling directly into her.

"_Oukarinasai_… Kaa-chan." Said the teary, broken voice of the kid, who was obviously struggling to overcome his flooding emotions.

Kurama smiled at him softly, while petting his spiky hair with one hand and half-hugging him with the other. "_Tadaima_, Sochi-kun, _tadaima_."

In the background, as a silent witness, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood still, while he let slip a small tear before putting back in place his grandfatherly-yet-the-leader-of this-ninja-village back in place. His face and body language never betrayed his thoughts.

"_This definitively can be used to Konoha's advantage: Naruto will not snap under the stupid social pressure that the villagers had put on him… and us. The only problem that I see is his future shinobi career. The woman didn´t look too please with it. It doesn´t matter how she feels about it: a non-ninja Naruto is not possible. And I may have the plan that will do the trick, but it will need some tune fining to make it work…"_

* * *

After finishing the required paperwork, Uzumaki Naruto was officially the son of Uzumaki Kurama. To celebrate, Naruto decided for them that they needed to go to 'Teuchi-jiji' and 'Ayame-nee' and eat the best thing in the world. The Sandaime, looking an opportunity for a break of the bane of his existence, invited himself alone to go with the new family. Underneath, though, he was fishing for more information about the redhead, which could be crucial to his plans.

Before long, the trio arrived to the Ichiraku's Ramen stand chatting happily.

"Ohayo jiji, I want three bowls of miso ramen."

"Oh, Naruto, is good to see so cheerful. Did something good happened to you?" asked the ramen chef while preparing the order. When he turned and saw the leader of the village, he immediately stopped all his functions and bowed in respect. "Welcome Hokage-sama, you honor our humble establishment with your presence." They had opened their stand almost a year ago, and it was the first time that the _Shinobi no Kami_ walked under their roof.

"_Wow" _thought Naruto, "_the old man is really respected. I wish I could pull of the same reaction out of everyone."_

"Don´t need to be so formal, Ichiraku-san. I want a shrimp ramen, if you please."

"And I want five orders of beef ramen. This gaki had been talking on and on about how good your ramen is." Said Kurama, making her presence known, and making Teuchi blush.

"And where is the lovely Ayame-chan, Ichiraku-san?"

"Oh, she is with my dear Shizuku in the hospital, Hokage-sama. My wife hasn't been feeling well recently so she decided to go over a full check up. They should be coming in the afternoon."

"What! I didn't knew that!" exclaimed Naruto after swallowing two of his three bowls of ramen at an impossible speed, while the Sandaime was still half way his and Kurama was waiting for her order of another 3 bowls, this time of miso ramen. "Kaa-chan, we need to visit them!" said the blond looking at her with those cute blue eyes that made her blush by the sheer cuteness that his was oozing in waves.

"_And he not even knows the _puppy-eyes jutsu." "Naru-chan, Ichiraku-san said that they will come back in the afternoon. If you want, we can come back later for a snack."

"Cool-dattebayo."

"_Kaa-chan?_ Are YOU Naruto-kun's _mother_?" asked Ichiraku Teuchi carefully, with a pleasant smile on his face and a dangerous glint in his eyes. In his hand, a butcher's knife was being grabbed quite forcefully.

Kurama and the Sandaime immediately knew which train on thought the ramen chef was following, and decided to rectified the misunderstanding, but Naruto, oblivious to the tense atmosphere, started introducing his new mom and why she wasn't able to get him sooner, at least what she told him on their way to the ramen stand. Teuchi, by his part, was relaxing visibly and returned to his usual cheerful and welcoming state.

Sighing in relief, both Kurama and the Sandaime felt that had dodge a particular dangerous bullet.

* * *

The day ended with Naruto taking Kurama into a tour around the village. The redhead noticed that they were being followed by at least three ANBU, and she could swear that one of them was a 'NE', the whole day. Now, Naruto was laying on his bed, sound sleeping after being moving the whole day without stop.

Kurama, on the other hand, was watching the crescent moon and the start through dirty glass of the small window of the apartment, lost in thought, remembering things that she would like to forgot for all eternity, and, more specifically, the nightmare that she just had and had woke her up.

(Flashback of the nightmare)

_Gray and black snowflake-like tiny balls of ashes fall from a scorched black sky, covering, staining, every surface that they touched. The sky itself looked like it had been carbonized down to charred coal, a pitch black mantle that not even the bright rays of Amaterasu could go through._

_Mountains, rivers, plains, rocks, cities, ruins. All was covered by the gray blanket of heavenly ashes while red lighting crossed the black clouds above. The winds were dead. The earth was muted in a deafening silence and unnatural stillness. Once in awhile, the ground shook with a weak tremor, like the planet itself was shivering in fear and despair._

_The complete requiem of a dying world._

_Somewhere, in the middle of the wasteland, full of ruins and decaying skeletons, the prone form of two bodies laid on the floor one next to the other, watching the tainted rainy ash falling like snow from the burned heavens. One of them, a female, who once had long, dark blue and shiny hair, which now was gray and black tanks to the ashes; the other, a male, showed a spiky mane of blond here that was still shinny through the staining ash._

_Both of them laid there, in silence, like their will to live had completely disappeared from their souls. Their only wish staying like that for all eternity, next to each other._

_"Ne, Naruto-kun, do you believe in reincarnation?"_

_"I never stopped to think too much about my own death or the beyond, Hinata-chan, 'cause it makes me feel depressed."_

_Giggles, haunted fits of quiet soft laughter._

_"If we do reincarnate, all I wish is to be next to you, even if I do being a little rabbit."_

_"A snow white rabbit?"_

_"Yeah, with your shade of blue eyes."_

_"I guess whatever is fine for me, if I'm next to you. I would not want to be an insect though, that would be so _unawesome_."_

_Another round of happiness giggles._

_Silence._

_"Hinata-chan? I wanted to say..." he was were dyeing as they were born in his mouth._

_"What is, Naruto-kun?"_

_"I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I couldn't keep my promises in the end?"_

_"Don't say that Naruto-kun, it's not your fault."_

_"But..."_

_"But nothing! It's their fault. It's theirs. They betrayed us, betrayed you. They turned their backs on us hoping to be ignored and let them be, condemning themselves in the process, helping in the murder of our world. It's their fault, not ours, not yours, Naruto-kun."_

_It was true, and both of them knew it. After almost 14 months of constant war, the masked man and Madara gained the upper hand obtaining the eight tails, killing Killer Bee and making the enemy stronger. From there it was a defeat after another, only ending in stalemate when Naruto was in the battle field. But he shinobi lost hope. In retrospective, it was to be expected. Shinobi as a rule just follow the best of outcomes, the one with the most gain, even if they have to lose their pride or a limb, they would take it. And so they did._

_They offered Naruto in silver plate to Madara, in exchange of mercy. The enemy accepted, and took the, broken by sadness and disbelief, jinchuuriki. Hyuuga Hinata was the only one that fought tooth and nail against it. Their supposed friends tried to convince her that it was for the best, it didn't work. Then they took her freedom, but it didn't work. They tortured her, but it didn't work. Somehow she escaped, tracked him down, and free him, fighting to the point of almost losing her life._

_They thought that they were safe again, out of the entire world's clutches; the masked man found them._

_The battle was one sided from the start. Both of them tired, wounded, helpless against an enemy that only grew stronger by the second. Once again, Hinata sacrificed herself to give him a chance of survival; Naruto unleashed Kurama; the masked man was prepared. The Kyuubi was ripped from him. Before being taken away, the kitsune used what was left from his chakra to save Hinata, as a departing gift._

_The _Gedo Mazou _was completed, the Juubi revived. The masked man tried to become its new jinchuuriki, as the great _Rikudo Sennin _once did. He failed, and the world paid the price of his failure. The world as whole fought against it, against this living nightmare, a monster of their own creation. They also failed. Naruto just KNEW that he and Hinata were the only survivors in the whole world, and soon they would meet the rest at the other side. And yet, after being betrayed, after being abandoned by everyone he trusted once upon a time, he still fell himself at fault, as guilty._

_He had failed to uphold the promise of happiness that he did to his only remaining friend, the only person that stayed true to him until the bitter end, the girl that had loved him even when he didn't loved himself, the woman in his life, his wife, his Hinata-chan, his Hina-hime._

_"Hinata-chan, before we end this, before passing away, I wanted to tell you, for you to know, that I love you, with all my soul." Tears._

_"I loved you too Naruto-kun, with everything and anything I have." Tears._

_And both of them, in perfect sync, started a long string of hand seals, while their bodies started to absorb the Natural Chakra from the Planet itself. It was painful. They could feel their souls being ripped from their bodies slowly._

_Far away, the rampaging demon that was the Juubi felt the spikes of chakra increasing at an alarming rate. Some baser instinct told it that whatever was happening didn't bode well for it. The monster decided to go there with hurry, in an attend to stop whatever it was, but he was a second too late. Above him, the spatial debris that once upon a time had been the moon, his prison, continued their ever falling raid, incinerating the land and evaporating the water where they fall._

_When Naruto and Hinata finished their kamikaze technique, both of them shared a small chaste kiss, before looking into each other's eyes for a last time._

_"__**OOGI: KAMI NO NAMIDA**__" was their low shout in unison as the world unfolded on itself._

_It was a lost sacred technique, one that required impossible amounts of chakra capacity. It was a kinjutsu, a prohibited technique, one that cost the users lives. Naruto and Hinata were dead before the jutsu started, but said jutsu was activated nonetheless. How it worked was something beyond human comprehension, something that only the Rikudo Sennin seemed to understand._

_The jutsu locked on a target, in this case the Juubi. Once the target was identified, the whole dimension collapsed on itself, imploding, destroying all existence of the target, before unfolding itself back to normal again. To a cosmical outsider it would look like the universe got sucked in a point, leaving nothingness, before exploding in a Big Bang back into place, like nothing happened in the first place. _

(End of the nightmare)

"_I swear to you, on my nine tails that _this time _it _will _be different." _She watched her kit, her sochi, soft and relaxed breathing. "_I didn't travel through time and space to watch you being crush again. We will succeed, _you _will succeed, even if we have to burn the whole world to the ground."_

And like that, the promise of different day, a better day, started anew under the starts.

.

.

.

.

**Note:**

_**OOGI: KAMI NO NAMIDA = **_Secret Technique: God's tear

**Troellog= **Means Spiral in welsh. More about this seal will be revealed on a latter date.


	2. Act 1: Cursed

**AN: **Wow. I humbled by the response that I have received. So many alerts in less than 6 hours after posting the first chapter... But what I liked the most where the reviews. I loved each one of them. This chapter turns sour at the end, where hard, dark themes are implied not so subtly. You have been warned.

* * *

**Those in the Spiral**

**Act 1**

**Chapter 2: Cursed.**

* * *

It was October. Again, it was freaking October. It meant little were you lived: in Iwa, in Taki, in Kumo, because the fatality of the October's existence was upon the whole world. In the Land of Fire, with the beginning of the autumn, many happy festivities were held in place, and many sadder memories were summoned from their past. For Naruto, it always had been a bitter reminder of everything that he didn't have. Going out in a _yukata_ to play with other kids, going to the local events where you could win little prizes, spending time with your loved ones watching the fireworks, etc.

It was also the cause of many of his nightmares. As far as he could remember, October 10th was a day of torment and pain and terror. Even now, almost 15 months since his Kaa-san had adopted him, a little more after his 7th birthday, the blond jinchuuriki felt apprehensive about the occasion.

Thinking about his Kaa-san brought a soft, truly happy smile unto his face. In the year and some months that they had been together, Naruto had been the happiest than he had ever been. During the first months, it was kind of hard for him, having someone there when he needed, lecturing him when he did wrong, but, most of all, having someone that show him that he was loved, that he was necessary and cherished. It had been more than once that he had woken up in the middle of night after having a nightmare about everything being a dream, only to find himself in the loving embrace of his new Kaa-san, comforting him, telling him that everything was alright, that everything was good now.

But she also taught Naruto how to survive if needed. He had told her that he wanted to be Hokage, like jijij, and why, and was surprised to her reaction. Instead of telling to give up on his dream, she just told him that he wasn't old enough yet to make a decision like that and that he needed to see ALL his options before going down a path. Then, she taught him what he could do, and how she could help him. She made it very clear that, if he decided in the end to become a shinobi, she would do anything to help him reach his goal, and that meant specialized Uzumaki training (which left him grinning in glee), but also opened other paths for him.

As soon as possible, his Kaa-san bought the WHOLE building where he lived. It was one of the worst buildings in one of the worst parts of Konoha, so the price wasn't too high, compared to other construction of similar nature, but the landlord tried to overcharge her because her new relation to him. Key word: _tried._ Naruto watched in awe how her Kaa-san, using pretty words, some of them he didn't understand until later when she explained them to him, to convince the landlord to low the price down to a quarter of the original price that the greedy man asked for.

"_Remember Naruto. During any trade of any kind that you do, you need to convince the other party that what you want is what they need the most, while what they offer is such a burden that it is on their best interest to throw it away as soon as possible, and that you will help them doing it. But there is a catch: you need them to think that it was their idea all along."_

And many more advices like that she taught him; the laws of the market, the offer and demand principle, etc. At first it was boring, but later, he found it fascinating , especially after she 'innocently' told him that a Hokage _needed_ to know that kind of stuff if he wanted to deal efficiently with other nations as well as minister his own village correctly.

After buying the whole apartment, the woman redesigned it overnight… quite literally. The top two floors were merged together, giving the impression of the inside of a two story cottage. The first two floors were also merged, but they were given a different function. While the now top floor served as living quarters, the bottom was both a greenhouse of sorts (the how his Kaa-san was able to plant and help grow vegetables and some fruits inside doors was a mystery to him) and as a workshop, which was divided by a wood wall that she had, somehow, constructed to keep the privacy. Since the workshop was facing the main, and now only, entrance, people would never guess that the Uzumaki family had an indoor Greenhouse. The workshop itself was sealed and divided further in other two sections. 75 % of this division was for the workshop itself and the other 25 % was dedicated to a counter to receive clients and orders.

What was the merchandise? It was Uzumaki Kurama's set of skills. Fuuinjutsu Masters, truly masters of the trait, were rare. Naruto didn't understand all of her explanation when he asked what she did, but he did understand that it was as dangerous as it was powerful. _"Let's put it this way:" _she told him, "_the Yondaime defeat the Kyuubi, the strongest among the demons, with Fuuinjutsu._"

THAT amazed Naruto to no end.

Business was slow at first, and Naruto felt for a moment that it was his presence that deterred customers from his Kaa-san's workshop, but she told him that he was wrong and to never think like that again. Naruto was dubious for a while, but, slowly, people started to visit more and more, asking for certain services that the redhead could provide. She charged a lot of money, depending of what type of job it was, which resulted in many possible customers unable to purchase said services. Still, the money entry was enough for both of them, and that, coped with the fact that they didn't have to buy too much food thanks to their greenhouses, had benefit tremendously their arks.

But, despite everything, one of the most cherished memories for the blond was the day of his birthday. Kurama had cooked him a huge bowl of ramen. But this ramen was special, because it was the **Uzumaki Ceremonial Ramen.** He remembered her words, like they were par of some sort of sacred dogma:

"_Ramen. It can not be called just food. For the Uzumaki, it is a route of daily adventures, which is advanced and created. Ramen is culture. Ramen is evolution. Ramen is possibility. It is a search for new meetings… The _Uzumaki Ceremonial Ramen_ is part of our traditions because it is unique and it has a profound significance. It is said that __**Inari-sama**__ himself created it for our clan and gave us its secrets as a gift. We only eat this Sacred Ramen in four occasions: When a birth bless our family, once a year in our birthday, once in our life in our wedding and once in our life when somebody in our immediate family dies. Four unique flavours, four different ways of preparation. Naruto, this is your _Ramen of Birthday_. Not only eat it, enjoy it. Its special flavour will show you how special you truly are."_

Enjoy Naruto did. He slowly ate the noodles and drink from the king sized bowl in front of him. The flavour, the aroma, the texture; all of it was like a heavenly feast in his mouth. He cried in happiness while eating it, his Kaa-san watching with a smile sitting next to him while softly petting his spiky hair. Naruto understood the message that this delicious food, this simple yet meaningful gift, was telling him.

He was important to someone. He was truly loved by someone. He wasn't a wasted of space or a mistake. No, he was Uzumaki Naruto, and he was cared for. For that instant, Naruto didn't care about the hateful glares from the villagers, or the void of not having friends to play with. Those things meant nothing in comparison of his current good fortune.

"_Then, why, why this happens to me?" _wondered weakly Naruto, unable to express his thoughts. His shiny blond hair was covered in mud and reddish black stains that were patches of dried blood. His breathing was slowly and elaborated, his clothes were in rags barely covering his body. He was tied with metal shackles into a cold metal bed and annoying dripping had been hitting him on his forehead ever since he was brought here, wherever 'here' was.

The ever falling drops never let him sleep, and he could move his head out the way thanks to the metal shackle on his neck. The only times that he had been able to close his eyes was when he was unconscious after the 'tender' cares of his captors. Because Uzumaki Naruto had been kidnapped by five people, as far as he knew, and said kidnappers had been taking turns in inflicting him immeasurable amounts of pain.

He had been in this situation for two weeks, almost a month after that peaceful birthday that he had enjoyed with his mother. Only one question repeated itself all over again and again through his head, like it was an ambassador and an envoy of the pain in his heart more than in his body.

"_Kaa-chan… where are you?"_

* * *

**(One month ago)**

Naruto was jumping happily. His shirt was dirty and he had some bruises on his face, but his happy grin was genuine. Early in that day he had helped a little girl with short deep blue hair and the whitest eyes he had ever since. They look like shinny pearls with a tint of lavender on them. Some bullies were bothering her near the park and he, like the awesome hero that he was, helped her. The bullies were three and had gang on him, but he did kick and punch them as much as he could.

In the other, other guy with the same white eyes and dark blue hair, showed up and dragged her away, leaving him there, beaten up on the floor. Naruto was sad that he didn't have the chance to play with the girl and maybe become friends with her. But he did saw her mouth moving slowly. For some reason, even if she was already too far to hear her, he did hear her words: _"Thank you."_

Naruto, murmured a _"Don't mention it." _He hadn't expected her to hear it, but he was dumbstruck when she, already at a far distance, but still visible, turned around and nodded at him with a soft smile. How did she hear him when she was so far and wasn't even looking? Was she training to be a ninja form such a young age and could do things that were so cool?

It didn't matter to him, that small smile was the brightest sun that somebody had gifted him with in comparison with the usual frown upon or total indifference. _"Maybe I will be able to see her again, and maybe… we can be friends."_

* * *

"I hate to be the herald to bad news, but there is nothing we can do about your daughter's disease. The Brittle Bone Disease is something beyond our means. Maybe Tsunade-sama would have been able to do something about it, but sadly, she is not here. Again, I'm sorry Murakumo-san, Uroko-san." Said an old doctor specialized in medical ninjutsu.

In front of him, a man with long black hair and dark eyes, and a moustache cut in two, was looking him like all hope was lost. Next to him, a woman with pale skin, with blue hair and blue eyes, wasn't looking any better. The young woman and mother, who could be considered very pretty, was playing absentmindedly with the black collar around her neck. These were the clan head and his wife of one of the smaller clans of Konoha: the Kurama Clan.

Their bloodlimit technique allowed them to cast illusions of a level that others could only dream of: illusions that fool all five senses, illusions so strong that could, if briefly, affect reality itself. But the clan had been slowly dying, and their famous _gekken genkai_ was showing less and less in the newborns. Sometimes, it happened that bloodlines suddenly started to disappear. It was unknown why this happened, or the cause behind.

And then, Kurama Yakumo was born. Her talent in her family arts was downright frightening, accomplishing at the tender age of five what others would only achieve after having double of her age. She pretty much represented the hope for the clan of a brighter future. But life had an ironic sense of humour.

The Brittle Bone Disease, also known as the Bone of Glass Curse, had been affecting the Kurama's heir since birth, making it all but impossible her chances to become a shinobi and bring honour and fame, as a lot of money, to the dieing clan. In her seven years of existence, Yakumo had already broke almost all the major bones on her little body, with many close calls that almost ended her life, by simples things as falling from her bed during the night or a tad too strong hug. It was depressing to think about it, and even more so to Yakumo who self esteem had taken a hard blow for being 'defective'.

Seeing the pair, with despair in their eyes, the doctor took a snap decision; he decided to make a gamble.

"There may be a way around this, though, I'm not sure about if will any help, if any."

"WHAT WE HAVE TO DO SENSEI?! ANYTHING FOR MY DAUGHTER!" said/yelled Murakumo vehemently. His wife next to him, with a fire in her eyes, nodded fervently.

"Well, as you may know a woman moved to our village recently. She is a Fuuinjutsu Mistress, a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan. Her name, funnily enough, is Uzumaki Kurama. She had helped us with incredible difficult cases using medical fuuinjutsu. And I most said that the Uzumaki's reputation as absolute masters of the sealing arts is totally deserved; I had seen her working with terminal patients or incurable patients and it is a sight to behold. She may be able to help you." Told them the doctor while writing something on a scroll. "This is the direction of her workshop, and a letter on my behalf to her so she can help you. Sorry we could not do something more for you and your daughter."

The parents accepted the scroll silently while thinking the same thing. Of course they knew about the infamous woman that dared to adopt the village pariah and resident jinchuuriki, causing a heated debate among the upper scallions of Konoha's power structure. The Kurama Clan itself had tried to stay as bystanders. They weren't part of the 'Demon Brat Haters Faction', but they were wary of the beast that the little blond held within him. Even now, seven years later of the Kyuubi's attack, the majority of the villagers, Murakumo and his wife included, have nightmares about that night.

And thus, they had stayed as far as they could form the blond. But now, it wasn't an option anymore. Here was the chance that they had hoped for, that needed to regain some sort of status as a clan… and as a family. But was it worth of it? Was it worth the involvement with a family of a deceased clan and a pariah demon container?

Kurama Murakumo made up his mind, knowing that his wife would support his decision. He only hoped for the best outcome.

* * *

"I'm home, Kaa-san!" yelled Naruto while entering his house through the backdoor.

"Welcome home. I'm in the workshop." Answered his Kaa-san, the word 'home' bringing a smile on his face.

Bouncing with his usual energy, Naruto entered the workshop only to discover that his mom wasn't alone.

In front of her, a woman and a man, the former with deep blue hair and the latter with black hair, were knelt, bowing and touching the floor with their foreheads in a supplicating manner.

"Kaa-san?" asked Naruto curiously.

"There is no need for such actions, Kurama-dono, so please, raise your head." Turning to Naruto, the redhead smiled to him before opening her arms wide, as inviting the blond kid to jump in.

Naruto accepted the invitation, jumping against her ample chest like the kid that he was. His Kaa-san didn't waste time hugging him tenderly. "How was your day, _sochi_?"

"It was O.K. Who are these people, Kaa-san?"

"Let me present you Kurama Murakumo and Kurama Uroko, they are clients that want a special service."

"Kurama? Are they family? They have your name too."

"No, they are not family. It is just coincidence. They are Konohanin and Murakumo-dono is actually the head of a ninja clan."

"Wow, that's so cool, oji-san, oba-chan."

At this point, both illusionists visibly relaxed of their tensed postures ever since they had entered the workshop. They felt like they were under the watchful eye of some sort of omnipresent being, even when they were facing the seal mistress back. And all of it dissipated like it was the thin smoke of a candle when the cheerful smile of the blond kid, grinning like a carefree innocent boy who wasn't the jailor of the living nightmare that was the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

"Naru-chan, this kind people want me to help heal their daughter. It is a difficult thing to do, and will really dangerous."

"It is too hard? Would you be able to do it?"

"Of course I can! I'm way too awesome to fail!"

Both Murakumo and Uroko understood that, while the redhead was talking to her adopted son, she was actually telling them her answer, and what they could expect from her.

"Then, you should do it to help her daughter to become better!" Said Naruto like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But Naru-chan, if I accept the job, I will have to go outside the village to pick up the necessary pieces for this to be a success."

"Awesome! We will go outside the village! When are we going to go?"

"No Naru-chan, you will not be able to go with me because it can be too dangerous."

"What?! Why?!"

"Too many reasons, but I promise that next time, you will accompany me."

"Promise?"

"Promise, and if I break my promise, I will swallow a thousand needles."

"Then, Uzumaki-sensei, this mean that you will help our dear Yakumo?" asked tentatively Kurama Uroko. It was difficult to ignore the hopeful tone in her voice.

"If we choose to do this, the operation will be difficult and the recuperation will be even more so. Are you ready to gamble your daughter's life for a chance of success? Even if she survives, she may end up like a cripple for the rest of her life."

"Yes, we are." They didn't hesitate.

"I see. Come back tomorrow, and bring you daughter. I want to speak with her first before making a decision."

* * *

Two days later, the Kurama, Murakumo and Uroko were in front the Sandaime Hokage explaining their case.

"And you think that this will be a success? Why? As far as I know, the Brittle Bone Disease is a malady without cure."

"I also had my doubts, but after meeting little Yakumo yesterday, I really think that the odds are in our favour. This is why I need to go to the border with Land of Water to pick up the necessary materials, and later to Bird Country to do the same."

"And we are ready to request it as an official mission to the village, Hokage-sama."

"It is ok with me then. This will be an A-class Escort Mission, with a team as your bodyguards. Kurama-dono, please file the concerning paperwork today, so Uzumaki-sensei could go on with the mission tomorrow morning."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

* * *

"Uchiha-san, if you want to ask something just do it. Staring me like that will not give you the answers that you seek." Said Kurama without turning around and still being able to tell when she was observed.

It was the third day of their journey, and they were already in Land of Water territory, or, more precisely, in one of the border islands that were all around the Land of Water. Her escort consisted of the ever looking sick Gekkō Hayate, Shiranui Genma, Uchiha Itachi and Mitarashi Anko. Three chuunins and a tokubetsu jounin. Technically, Itachi would have been a jounin level ninja, but the jounin promotion was due to the next month, so the chibi chuunin was still gaining more field experience, even though all the present thought that the team was kind of overkill for a simple escort mission.

Then again, since Seal Masters were so rare, maybe it wasn't that strange the need of so much protection.

"I'm wondering why you were allowed to adopt Naruto-kun with all the clans in Konoha, mine include, were rejected by Hokage-sama." His tone was calm and collected, but Kurama could detect the childish curiosity underneath his tone.

"_Oh Itachi-kun, you are so cute right now. When things went so wrong for you ending as a S-class genocidal killing machine?" _"Isn't the fact that I'm his blood relative enough for you?"

"The brat has a point. You were pretty much nonexistent only your arrival to Konoha." Commented Anko casually while eating some dango that nobody knew from where it had come from.

"I think you should ask your Hokage about that." And she left it like that, taking a scroll out of her sleeves. This surprised the group because the redhead didn't have any backpack on her. But it took them a second to realize the reason.

"_Right. Seal Mistress."_

I got dull for the rest of the day and Anko was actually twitchy, when things got a lot more... interesting.

"Mitarashi-san..." started Itachi.

"I know." She said without showing any signs of noticing something out of the ordinary. _"Being followed. Tsuba Formation." _She signed in code to the rest of the group, then, she step back a little bit until she was next to Kurama. "Hey, 'Apple-head', how much further do we need to go on?"

The redhead didn't responded.

"Fine, have it your way. Uzumaki-sama, how much?"

"Oh, since you asked so nicely, I had to answer." Said Kurama totally amused. Anko had to remind herself that this was a client and a valued asset to Konoha, so killing her or maining her wasn't an option. "We are actually here." And she stopped.

The group confused stopped as well, but they were surprised to see a woman standing behind Itachi like it was the most natural thing to do.

Her skin was soft and dedicated. Her eyes were of a beautiful golden color and her hair was long and as black as the new moon midnight. Her figure was something to kill for and it was being covered by a fancy looking purple kimono with an orange obi. She was barefoot, but those details aren't what caught the group's attention.

The woman's golden eyes were slitted. On the top of her head two cute foxy black ears were twitching like usually cat's did. And behind her, eight black furry tails swinged like they were alive on their own.

The woman, wasn't human but a Kitsune.

"Kombawa... ningen." (Hello, humans.)

* * *

Naruto was bored. Or he tried to reasoning his current depressing feelings as a consequences of boredom. It was futile. Uzumaki Naruto, prankster extraordinaire, knew deep inside within him that he was feeling sad because his only family was far, far away doing Kami-knows-what. And he was feeling fear. Irrational, endless, tortuous fear of being left behind. That somebody else, somebody that he cared for, walked away.

No. His kaa-chan wasn´t like _them_. She will return to him no matter what. She promised. She said that the would.

But still, he was bored. Sitting in the Park's sandbox by himself, while other kids played among themselves, pointedly avoiding him and ignoring him. Well, two could play that game. He would ignore them too. He also will ignore their parents that were glaring at him from a distance.

A prank was the solution of his problems! He only needed a target. But, what could he do? Decisions,decisions.

"Are you Uzumaki Naruto-san?" asked a voice behind him. Naruto jumped by the surprise, fearing a sneak attack of a particularly bold villager... again.

With his heart in his throat, the blond forced himself to call down. The man was familiar to him, but it was when he saw his pearly white eyes that he remembered that this was the same man, or at least he thought he was, that dragged away the girl with the moony eyes that he saved from the bullies a couple of days back.

"Who is asking, sir...?"

"I come in the behalf of Hinata-sama. She had asked for you to come and play to our compounds in thanks for helping her the other day." Said the man with his never changing hardface and his cold, mechanic tone.

"Hinata-sama? Who's that?"

"She is the girl that you helped the other day from the bullies."

"Oh. Then, lead the way, Oni-san." Said Naruto, excited to be invited to someone else house to play. It seemed that things were finally looking up for him.

It was fifteen minutes later when Naruto started to feel uneasy about the situation. He didn't know where this 'Hinata-sama' lived, where it couldn't be that far. He was about to ask the kind Oni-san if they were almost there yet, when he felt a tingly sensation on his nape. His word turned black before he noticed it.

* * *

When Naruto woke up, he found himself in a rundown bedroom, kind of like in the state his apartment was before his Kaa-san moved with him. He was tied to a chair, with really tight knots and a generous amount of rope. His limps were hurting, but also felt numb, like he had been in the same position for hours; he also felt nauseous and dizzy.

Then, something struck him in the cheek. Hard. He was seeing stars because the blow and he notice that some of his teeth were loosened a bit. His jaw ached, specially where he was hit. What was that?

Moving his head made the pain worst, but he managed. This was nothing that he hadn't felt before. He wished, for a second, that he wouldn't have looked.

In front of him was a man, a ninja of Konoha if the forehead protector around his head was to be believed. But the knowledge didn't brought him any comfort. The man's eyes shined with the same glee and emotions that the villagers had every time that he walked near them. And the man, when he reduced the space to mere centimetres between their faces, exuded a strong smell of alcohol and something else that Naruto didn't know about but had smelt before in the Red Lights District.

This was bad. This was really bad. He had foolishly discard everything that he had learnt in the streets before his Kaa-san stepped into his life. He trusted a stranger, and now he was paying the price for it. Life was so good to him lately. Way too good to last. He should have expected it, that it couldn't last forever. That Kami hated him for some reason.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, demon." Sinsung the drunk ninja out of tune.

And Naruto's word was filled with pain.

.

.

.

.

And here, the second chapter.

Many of you will hate me now. How could I do that to chibi Naruto-kun? How cruel and sick is Cuervo-teme to condone such thing as child abuse? Believe me, I hate myself for it, but this is for the plot sake.

Anyways, R&R


	3. Act 1: Crimson

**AN: **Nas! I'm back with another chapter, a long one at that. This chapter has some graphic strong scenes, is not too specific, but what is happening is heavily implied. I also use some religious concepts that may clash with your point of view or own theories. I apologize for that, and I can say that they do not reflect my own opinion or beliefs, I just use ideas to my advantage and are the product of my own imagination and/or interpretation. Any resembles with the real life is pure coincidence.

_Note: This chapter is unbetaed._

* * *

**Those in the Spiral**

**Act 1**

**Chapter 3: Crimson.**

* * *

_The group, confused, stopped as well, but they were surprised to see a woman standing behind Itachi like it was the most natural thing to do._

_Her skin was soft and dedicated. Her eyes were of a beautiful golden color and her hair was long and as black as the new moon midnight. Her figure was something to kill for and it was being covered by a fancy looking purple kimono with an orange obi. She was barefoot, but those details aren't what caught the group's attention._

_The woman's golden eyes were slitted. On the top of her head two cute foxy black ears were twitching like usually cat's did. And behind her, eight black furry tails swinged like they were alive on their own._

_The woman, wasn't human but a Kitsune._

_"Kombawa... ningen." (Hello, humans.)_

Who reacted first would be a matter of debated among the present for years to come; in the blink of an eye an incoming barrage of kunai, sembon and poisoned daggers were flying toward the beautiful kitsune at terminal speed. While death inflicted by pointy things were approaching the demon, the ninja, bar Kurama, started to move in different directions to avoid crossfire and gain tactical advantage. It took said demon the flick of one of her tails to stop the projectiles in mid fly, much to the surprised horror of the ninja, and send them back with more superior speed. Itachi noted that each one of them, except the redhead seal mistress that had reminded as a bystander watching the events unfold, were abruptly stopped by the same exact weapons that each of them had throw landin at their feet.

"You should be careful with your toys, _ningen_. One may get the wrong idea about your intentions." Said the Kitsune playfully.

"What do you want?" Asked Anko, poisoned kunai at hand.

"That would be my fault, Mitarashi-san." Said Kurama, earning narrowed eyes from everybody. Itachi even positioned himself behind her, just in case. "Nice to see again, Yuri-chan." This time, the Uzumaki was referring to the kitsune, who gave the group a foxy grin

"The same goes for you. You have found yourself interesting company Kurama. I thought that you were a loner." Said the kitsune, eyeing Itachi like a starved wolf would do to fresh meat.

"That's a way to put it."

"Uzumaki-_san_, you have only a minute to explain why we shouldn't gut you here and now." Anko's charm at its best.

"Well, Mitarashi-san, Yuri-chan" pointing at the kitsune who was waving at the wary group of lethal assassins "is our contact and the one that have the package that we are supposed to pick."

"She is right, Hebi-chan, I owned a favour to her and she asked me something in return."

"Speaking of debts, do you have _it_?"

"Yep, here _it_ is." Nodded enthusiastically the kitsune, taking a scroll out of nowhere and throwing it at Kurama.

"And the source, how he's doing?" Asked Kurama to Yuri who put her hands on her hips while her tails continued their endless wagging behind her.

"Kimi-chan is getting better, and he is always asking for you. The Yuki Onna-kun as well. I really don't understand why you just don't take with you those two. I'm not the motherly type, you know?" The last part was said with annoyance, but her posture indicated that she was being playful.

"Just endure it a little bit more."

"Whatever." Shrugging, the Kistune vanished from sight like she was a mirage, reappearing behind Itachi. The Uchiha, being the trained killer that he was, spinned immediately while using the momentum to kick at the demon's ribs... just to be dodged. He was about to throw an explosive kunai a point blank range, confident in the speed of his Substitution, when one of the kitsune tails made him trip and lose his balance. Taking the opportunity, the kitsune pull the teen on her and give him a deep, forceful kiss on the mouth. Pulling away, the demon woman lick her lips seductively. "You taste delicious, boya. Do come to visit again. I'm sure that we could have a _great time_." The words sound like a sensual purring in Itachi's ears, making him dizzy for a second.

None of them noticed that the demon woman was gone.

The reaction of the group was entertained. Even if Itachi would vehemently deny it each time somebody asked about it in the future, the teen was blushing crimson, unable to control his body reaction. Hayate was coughing more than usual, if it was his normal coughing or he was trying to hide his laughter was anyone's guess. Anko was gazing at Itachi with a pensive look and Genma look... envious?

Kurama, on her part, was totally amused.

* * *

After the encounter with the demon vixen, the group travelled quickly to the Land of Birds, where they went to a monastery so Kurama could pick a box full of magatamas. The group was curious how the Seal Mistress was able to obtain one of the monk's most guarded treasures.

It was in the way back where the group couldn't hold their curiosity any longer.

"Uzumaki-dono... *cough* *cough*... how do *cough* you have a business relationship *cough* with a demon?" Hayate was the first to ask. The rest of the group, though surreptitiously, started to pay more attention to the conversation.

"Do you mean Yuri-chan?" Hayate nodded. "I freed her from a sealing prison that I randomly found in one of my travels. She had owned me a life debt ever since."

"Don't you think that it was dangerous, to trust a demon like that?" Asked Genma with his usual disinterested tone.

"If is not done right, I would agree with you. But, are you not aware that the Uzumaki Clan were experts dealing with demons? And not only in extermination but in other kinds of business as well." That brought a surprised look from the ninja. These were news for most of them. "Indeed, our people were experts at demonology. We even had the most respected and powerful **onmyouji**. A basic rule is that demons, while are deceptive and tricksters by nature, they are bound by their own promises. This is especially true for kitsunes. Once a kitsune had promised something, the kitsune has to fulfil it no matter what. It is like a punishment from Kami; they are bound by their own words and that's why they are expert tricksters... to avoid a situation where they have to give their word." The group fall in a meditative silence, pondering the Seal Mistress words. Neither of them had even consider before what they had been told.

There were tales, rumours and myths about dealings between humans, demons and, in some cases, Kamis and Holy Spirits, but it was difficult to separate reality from fantasy. Here was a living proof of the reality of a world that their eyes could not fathom and their shinobi uprising was telling them that it should not be trusted, under any circumstances.

"What's a _life debt_? You mentioned it before." Asked Itachi, trying to understand the whole picture. His increasing urges to touch his lips with his fingers where _that_ kissed him had nothing to do with it... absolutely nothing.

"A Life Debt is like contract but a lot more serious and ancient than that, and it is made when you save a person putting your own life in the line. There is more to it and certain requirements need to be met for it to work, but the gist of it is that, when I saved Yuri-chan, the Debt was formed between us, and ever since, she is forced by her own nature to repay me in kind. She has to give something of equal value to fulfil it. Nothing more, nothing less. The problem is that a life is something unique that cannot be valued in full. I could ask for her loyal servitude as payment and she and her descend would be bound into mine and mine decedent's will for all eternity."

Anko whistled in apprehension. That kind of power over demon... No wonder the vile creatures do the impossible to be the winner part in everything that they did.

Itachi, in the other hand, started to silently wonder. There were certain _rumours_ that Uchiha Madara could summon and control the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Many had assumed that this was due to the Sharingan, but, was it possible that the secret for that skill was something different?

"Well, that's interesting and all, but we will stop for today. Tomorrow we will arrive to the village, so we can take it easy." Said Anko, stopping the group. "Hayate, gather firewood and you, manwhore" referring to Genma, who looked at her annoyed by the the nickname "are in charge for the dinner hunting. Chibi-chan" this time it was Itachi who raised an eyebrow at his nickname "you will keep watch for coming troubles while I set a perimeter with traps. Uzumaki-sama, please stay here and not move only we say so."

Itachi respond with a 'Hn' before activating his Sharingan and started to scan the area while the others started to do as they were told. Genma went his merry way while murmuring why Hayate was the only one without a nickname.

* * *

_There was pain, so deep, so burning pain. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. His eyes were crying blood. He couldn't cry his life away, his Kaa-san would be sad if he die crying. A light of hope was still brightening his heart at the thought of his Kaa-san. But why she wasn't there with him, why she had forgotten him? It wasn't true, it couldn't be true what __**they**__ said, that she had abandoned him, leaving him behind, like everybody else had._

_He didn't know this feeling, this sensation that felt like like something darker than the darkness that was swallowing him. Darker than black. His little light was being eroded by the ever hungry despair. _

_A cracking noise told him that __**they **__had returned. He didn't dare to open his eyes. Maybe, if __**they**__ thought that he was still unconscious, __**they**__ may leave him alone and go away. Maybe __**they **__would leave him sleep after so long._

_Something hard hit his stomach and then his jaw. It was painful, but it was nothing compared to the searing pain that cruised through his body. It was like thousands of ants were eating his insides with acid. He wanted to vomit, but he couldn't, he hadn't eaten anything in what felt like years. His head was hurting so bad, like his brain was pounding against his skull, wanting to be free out his head. _

_Kaa-san, where are you?!_

* * *

Kurama woke with a start. Her porcelain skin was covered in sweat and her breath was deep and elaborated. A powerful sensation of dread was clutching her heart, and she couldn't hear its beating rhythm in her ears, unwilling to submit her orders of calming down. It took her a second to understand with perfect clarity what was happening.

"NARUTO!"

Moving fast, the Uzumaki packed and sealed everything around her, including her tent, without caring about the amount of noise that she was doing. This alerted the guard in turn, one Shiranui Genma, who eyed suspiciously. It was 4:00 in the morning, why the redhead woman was so frantic?

"What's up with you?" Asked the sembon chewer.

"Where's the fire?" Asked Anko who had four kunai in each hand ready to kill something while Itachi and Hayate handled their ninjato and katana, respectively. Kurama's loud actions had woke them up.

"I need to go to the Leaf. NOW."

"Hold it there, applehead! I told you that we would be there in a... couple of hours now. No need to be so hasty and ruin Chibi-chan's beauty sleep." Said Anko, counting beheaded pedophiles to control her already short temper. She was trying to be nice, out of respect for the Old Man that had done a lot for her, but this woman was trying her patience.

"Hn" commented Itachi while yelling in her head at Anko that he didn't need any 'beauty sleep'.

"You don't understand. None of you do. Naruto's seal is falling apart. If I'm not there like... RIGHT NOW, there will be no village to return to." Said Kurama, before colliding both her heels against each other and, with a speed that should be only possible to Maito Gai when he was serious, the woman just... disappeared on them.

A second later, the shock wave and sonic boom hit them; both proofs of what their minds could not fully registered: Uzumaki Kurama had broken the sound barrier.

Only Itachi, having activated his Sharingan instinctively, saw how, when Kurama struck her heels, two small seals appeared on them. But what startled him the most was not the seal or the speed that they granted, but the woman's chakra. That chakra, was so vast and so red. Why it was that colour when normal chakra was blue? An idea started to form in the Uchiha genius's head; one that would seal his and his clan's future.

* * *

Uchiha Shusui was worried. Two weeks ago, the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, had disappeared without a trace. The Hokage had told them, thanks to special tracking seals placed on the kid by Jiraiya-sama, they knew that the vessel was somewhere in the Leaf, but they were unable to get his exact location. Luckily, most of the population was unaware what was happening, though they may suspect something seems the Uchiha Police was more active than normal, and patrols had increased in the last few days. At the moment, Shusui was inspecting the Northwest Gate District, in hopes of finding something, anything to stop this increasing madness.

The Uchiha felt his body being hit by something before feeling himself raised from the ground and launched against the nearby wall by an unseen force like he was a ragged doll. An automatic Shushin fixed that, placing him three meters from where he was standing. His ears though, were ringing and his hearing was muffled for a moment. Someone grabbed him by his collar and he noticed, Sharingan activated and all, that was Uzumaki Kurama, the Leaf's resident seal mistress and adoptive mother of the missing jinchuuriki. Her deep crimson eyes were blazing with cold fury and her doll like face was was rigid as alabaster.

"Where is my son, Uchiha-_san?_"

_Shit._ Thought Shusui, wanting to be far, far away from there. _She knows! But how? I thought that she was on long term mission picking supplies for the Kurama Clan._

"I don't know." Said Shusui, trying to gain time. For some reason, his silent techniques weren't working. Did the woman was doing something to his chakra?

"Explain."

"Naruto-san had been missing for the last two weeks. We have been looking for him but we have found nothing." Said the Uchiha, realizing that he was already in deep shit.

The woman eyed him into his Sharingan, seizing his words, discerning if he was being truthful enough. It seems that Shusui passed her test because she let him go.

Quickly, they were surrounded by other shinobi, from the Military Police and ANBU alike, with the Hokage at the front.

"Kurama-san, why are you here? Our Barrier Team informed me that something at high speed entered the village? Was that you? Where is the team that was with you?" Asked the aged leader, looking totally relaxed, like his was greeting an old friend, hiding how lethal the man really was.

"They are on their way. I felt like Naruto was in danger. What happened?"

"We are not sure." Said the old Hokage with a sigh. He was way too old for this.

The old man said something else, but Kurama wasn't listening anymore; the pain in her chest was become unbearable. She sighed before taking the decision to do something that she hoped she would never had to.

Taking one bottle of ink from under her sleeves, to the confused fascination of those that were present, the redhead opened the bottle, and drank it. Immediately, tribal looking symbols showed all over her visible skin in rippling and spiraling patterns that were in constant spiraling movements, like the cloud system of a typhoon. The woman clasped her hands together while a golden glow started to surround her.

"**FUIN NO OUGI: RASENPPOU: BOKOKU!** (Secret Technique of Sealing: Spiraling Art: Motherland)" Nothing visibly happened, only a column of bright golden light appeared at the diametrical opposite of their position, towering up into the sky. It didn't feel like chakra, or anything related to chakra, but all the present knew that it wasn't normal either.

Before they noticed, Kurama was already gone. When they realized this, they safely assume that the woman was in her way toward the light pillar, thus, the ninja followed suit.

Uchiha Shusui, running alongside his fellow clansmen and comrades, couldn't shake the feeling that somehow he had witnesses something great and unique, and it was a feeling that many among them shared.

But nothing prepared him for the horrors that were about to pass.

* * *

(Moments before, somewhere in the Hidden Leaf Village)

Hyuuga Ko had his hand locked in the Bird Seal causing excruciating pain to the demon spawn in front of him. He had covered the blond in a crude primitive prototype of the Cage Seal that the Hyuuga Main Branch used on their brethren, but for a animal like the blond kid, it will suffice. Would had been another person but the jinchuuriki, death would have been certain, but since the little demon had unnatural evil powers, the damage done was self repairing, thought he did notice that the speed which the demon healed himself had decreased a lot, not that he cared.

He, Yamanaka Inaban, who had a personal grudge against the beast,and Mizuki, the Academy professor, had chosen the rundown wood shack near the Red Light District because it had been abandoned by quite some time. Inaban bought to use it as a hideout so he could bring prostitutes or random one night stand women. It may looked like it would fall apart any given moment, but the insides were another matter altogether. Even Ko, who lived a wealthy life compared to most villagers, was impressed by the simple yet tasteful decoration. And the best thing? It had a basement room, one that they were using at the moment to 'host' their 'guest'. The mind blowing amount of security seals prevented that even the infamous 'Ultimate Byakugan' of the Hyuuga Clan Head find their... 'activities'.

The door opened, letting in Mizuki and Inaban, who looked nervous for some reason.

"Why are you here this early? I still have a couple of hours to go." Said Ko, interrupting his Sealed Torture. He didn't spare a second glance to the twitching blond who was foaming and hab blood leaking through his nose, ears and unfocused eyes.

"We don´t think that is an issue, but something is happening at the Northwest Gate. I think we should get out of here and go under the radar until things calm down." Said the Yamanaka, scratching his platinum long blond hair. Mizuki nodded, with a bored look on his face.

"Alright." Said Ko. "It always pays to be cautious." Then, he turned to the damaged boy, who was starting to heal, or at least he thought so since he stopped twitching every two seconds or so. "Did you hear that demon, you will have a break to rest and heal. Aren't you happy' Don't worry, we will return soon so you don't have to worry about feeling lonely for too long."

Ko was impassive, like all Hyuugas were the 97% of the time, but Mizuki and Inaban were smirking at the blond misfortune.

The trio was about to leave when, without warning, a pillar of light came _out _the boy, ascending _through_ the basement ceiling and the house ceiling above it.

"What the...?" Mizuki intelligently commented, but was interrupted by a tremor that shook the house down its foundations.

Without warning the basement ceiling was TOTALLY removed, letting the sky in view, which meant that the rest of the house was nowhere to be seen.

Feeling the worst, the ninja jumped out the basement through the new whole in the ground in an attempt to escape, but something hit them in their stomach at the same time, rocking them toward what looked like the old wall of the next door house.

Out of the three, Ko was the most resilient thanks to his training and his pedigree, thus he recovered first. His body felt heavy and numbed, and he notice that he couldn't move. His eyes, Byakugan active, told him that he was paralyzed by some sort of seal that simply... appeared underneath him, same as the other two. Scanning the area he saw woman down the whole that had been the basement rapidly walking to the tied down blonde demon while sobbing hysterically the brats name (he didn't quite hear it, but he could read her leaps clearly enough). Ko recognized the woman as Uzumaki Kurama, but something was... odd about her. First, the woman had spiraling symbols all over her body that were chakra infused and moving. She was also glowing and her hair colour seem a shade darker. It was kind of difficult to say thanks to the monochromatic feedback of the Byakugan, but the woman's hair was different. It didn't glow per se, like the rest of her body, but it was more like it was strengthened by an opaque intensity.

Ko couldn't help himself but think her as the representation of an angry goddess of destruction... An **Asura**.

* * *

Uzumaki Kurama untied her son and held him in her arms calling for him hysterically, yelling at him to come to his senses, to do something, anything, to alleviate her fears. None came.

The woman moved in autopilot for a second while she jumped out the underground room, to face, not only the responsible for this... She not even known how to name something so low (and coming from _her,_ THAT was saying something), but also to face the Hokage and the rest of the shinobi that had followed her. They were stunned, and most of them quickly understood the horrors that were implied by the mess of flesh and blood, to deformed to be called human, in her arms.

Coming to her senses, and that her son's life was against the clock, the woman summoned a shadow clone next to her without even words or seals, before quickly disappearing in a burst of impossible speed in the general direction of the hospital. ANBU started to give her chase, but most of the forming crowd staid. The clone on her part, with crimson eyes glowing with such intensity that it looked like they were literally blazing, walked where Ko was knelt, he being the only one totally recovered while the other two were coming back into their senses, and grabbed him by his through with one hand with unsuspected strength for someone of average height.

Some among the increasing crowd of shinobi and passing villagers recognised the danger that the three were facing and moved to go to their rescue.

Or they tried.

To their horror, the Hokage included, a barrier that wasn't there seconds ago impeded their progress any further for all angles. The old leader quickly order to call the help of ANBU agents and experts with barriers to help and retrieve the supposed culprits before the redhead woman left nothing of them.

There was this feeling in the though, that help would be late for the three dead men walking.

"Why?" Was the only question that Kurama asked, looking at the pearly eyes of the man that struggled to free himself. Soon, the Hyuuga somehow came to the deep understanding that their wasn't a way out for him, so he did the only thing that could: he accepted his Fate's chosen path.

Ko spat on the woman's face, and then gave her the Hyuuga Smirk at its best. "Because _demons_ like him need to be dead." That was the only answer and reason that the man gave. It was enough.

Hyuuga Hiashi came on time to witness both Ko actions and words. He also saw something that later he would wish that he hadn't.

What Uzumaki Kurama did next would be the stuff of legend, myth and nightmares for ages to come.

Dropping the scum of a man to the ground, the woman's glow disappeared and her hair returned back to its normal colour...before turning jet black.

"**FUIN NO OUGI: JUBAKU: KAIN NO ****HYOOKO! **(Secret Technique of Sealing: Cursed Technique: Curse of Kain)" All the spiraling symbols on Kurama's body moved through her skin and concentrated themselves until her right hand was as pitch black as her new hair colour. Kurama, then, proceed to tap the foreheads of the three bastards that harmed her son after removing their protectors. In Ko's case, who had the Cage Seal already, she tapped his chest, above the sternum center, where the heart was located.

At first nothing happened, and Ko thought that had somehow survived a particularly dangerous kunai, when, without warning, he and the other two started to scream in agony, yelling for help at first, and then, yelling it for it to end.

"This three had been cursed by one of the Thirteenth Karmatic Seals." Kurama said, facing the crowd that were trying their best to bypass the barrier to not avail. When she spoke though, most of the crowd paused for a moment, confused by her words.

The Hokage, and the the clans heads that were present, including all the major clans of the Leaf, paled at her words. Kurama wasn't deterred and continued her brief speech.

"If any of you try to help them, touch them or kill them, you will be cursed as well. You had been warned." And with that, the clone simply shivered out of existence like it was a mirage under the sun's light.

One teacher of the Academy that was among the crowd, recognizing Mizuki among the screaming victims, stepped forward, discovering that the barrier was gone, before approaching his suffering colleague and friend.

"NO! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Yelled the Hokage, but his warning came too late.

As soon as the teacher touched Mizuki, the man fall to the ground dead.

The villagers present started to run in horror while the ninjas jumped a reasonable distance away.

"What we had done?" Wondered the Hokage aloud, before ordering a complete quarantine for the screaming victims, and the surrounding blocks. He then walked to the hospital looking for answers.

* * *

It had been four days since Uzumaki Kurama arrived to the village unexpectedly, found the missing jinchuuriki and delivered the Devil's Judgment on the culprits before bunkering herself in the Special Sealed Room at the hospital for three days and nights in a row with Naruto, dealing with the damage as best as she could. Some doctors and nurses volunteered themselves to help, but the healing was so intense that many, after hours of nonstop healing, drop out the Sealed Room at the verge of chakra exhaustion. Many returned when they were recovered enough, but the difference wasn't too much. As Sarutobi Hiruzen was told, it seemed that the Uzumaki had to tear off and regrow muscular tissue and rewire the entire nervous system, aside of practically force Naruto's body to regrow from scratch internal organs too damaged to work properly. Last night, Kurama finally finished the operation and went home to sleep after putting around Naruto's room a formidable cursed barrier that none dare to trespass.

On his desk, the Hokage was looking at the status report of Hyuuga Ko, Yamanaka Inaban and Mizuki. They weren't good news. And Hiruzen knew that, if half of the things that he had learnt about _that_ particular branch of sealing, things will only get worse for the three culprits.

The Thirteen Karmatic Seals.

The one that Kurama used was the second seal of that particular set, though it didn't mean that it was the second strongest. Actually, the fourth seal, **Itto Kasoo** (First Sword Cremation, which was specifically created and used against immortal beings), and the twelfth seal, **Hakyoku no shukufuku **(Blessing of Catastrophe), were arguably the most powerful ones. The Karmatic Seals were a compilation of the most powerful and obscure seals in the Uzumaki Fuuinjutsu Canon, and were labeled as Kinjutsu and only the most extreme of circumstances would require the use of one. The seal that Kurama used caused extreme, ever increasing pain, depriving the victims of sleep or normal day activities like eat or drink. Paradoxically, the victim didn't die or went insane by long term exposure at the seal, they didn't have the luxury of unconsciousness or anesthetization either. Those that try to help them died, those that try to kill them die as well. Some of his ninja, desperate by the sight of their comrades in such suffering, try to use long distance ninjutsu to end their lives mercifully, wary by the death of Mizuki's friend when he touched the agonizing teacher, but, not only their techniques failed and cause more damage to the victims, but also they died as well. It seemed that distance was not an issue for the curse. Once again, the world was witnessing the reason why the Uzumaki Clan was feared and resented in the past as one of the most powerful Clans back in the day.

This didn't deterred the villagers, the victims' families included, in the search of justice, asking for the Uzumakis' heads, conveniently forgetting that the victims were at the fault here, even though he personally sympathized against such a harsh punishment.

Sighing, Hiruzen stood up and walked out his office, toward the Council Chambers. A closed session was about to begin, and Uzumaki Kurama was going to answer some question by the heads of both the ninja and civilian sides, and he, as a Hokage, needed to be there as a mediator and as a judge. Oh, joy!

* * *

"Uzumaki-san. Until yesterday, the victims were respectable ninja and citizens of the Leaf before you viciously attacked them. We want you to stop this nonsense at once and return them back to normal." Said one of the clans representatives of the shinobi side, while many among both sides of the Council nodded in agreement.

Kurama only yawned in boredom, which made the man that spoke, and others, mad. Many statements of similar nature had been said, specially by the civilian side. The Hokage was rubbing his temples in an attempt to conserve his patience and not lash out at the stupidity that some of the most trusted men and women of the Leaf were displaying. The old leader was about to interrupt and stop this farce, when Kurama stood of her chair in the medium of the atrium that the Council Chambers were, and started to...stretch herself. When she was done, the redhead looked at the council in front of her in annoyance.

"Are you done?" The mocking sarcasm was obvious in her words.

"Uzumaki-dono," a blonde woman with a strict looking visage spoke, "while many of us don't... share Kanzaki-sama's opinion, we want to ask you to direct yourself with respect and decorum at this noble council."

Kurama looked directly into the eyes of Haruno Mebuki, before responding at her.

"I'm sorry, Haruno-_san_, but I will refer to the _trash _as I see fit." The council member began to openly protest, but a wave of focused killing intent from the Uzumaki shut them up. "Quiet! Now you will listen what I have to say." The council look mutinous, but a nod from the Hokage stopped them before they could do something stupid. The ANBU guards in the room, though, were at full alert.

"I don't like shinobi or their ways of doing things." Continued Kurama. "And even for you, what was done to my son, a seven year old kid at that, was way past the unnecessary cruelty borderlines... and it was beyond stupidity as well." Now the ninjas and civilians alike were confused by her words.

"I'm an Uzumaki. Sealing is in my blood. It is my heritage. In my travels, I have rarely seen such ingenuity and skill when the sealing arts are concerned as I had discovered in Naruto's seal by your late Yondaime. And you, all of you in your bigoted ignorance, had almost thrown that masterpiece to the pigs!"

"The way the seal that Yondaime-sama used is base on a Uzumaki seal of the highest caliber. He modified to such of a extend that the seal was designed to slowly absorb the Demon Fox's chakra slowly, until the Fox was drained dry. After it, the beast would have been purged out of Naruto's and send to the Shinigami's belly for all eternity, preventing another attack by the demon in the future. As a secondary function, the seal took a fraction the the demonic chakra and purified it before redirecting to Naruto's chakra network and used to enhance our family regeneration abilities."

"But the late stunt that _your_ people pulled on us crashed with that. The seal that the Yondaime used sacrificing his life was totally wrecked by the crossed contamination that the seals that those pitiful trashes put on him, alongside the torture that they inflicted, was too much for it. At the moment, there is a a 96% of chances of the Fox getting out in the next 24 hours."

That wasn't what they wanted to hear. Some of them were in full denial, while others simply were shaking in terror by the sheer thought of a reenact of the Kyuubi's attack. Even to this day, the horror of that fateful night still hunt them through day and night.

"Silence." The Hokage commanded, refraining the increasing panic to spread further. "Kurama-san, I thought that you said that the seal was absorbing the beast chakra. Doesn't it mean that _it_ is becoming weaker than before?"

"Indeed, but thanks to Naruto's treatment, the Fox still has the advantage and, in the case that Naruto had died before the seal could finish its work, the Fox would have been free with its powers relatively intact."

The council member murmured among themselves, and the Hokage frowned. Only he and some ANBU knew the sheer number of assassination attempts at Naruto's life. It seems that they had been at the edge of the abyss closer than they had thought without realizing it.

"Anyways, in a couple of hours I will be strong enough to fix the seal. I will have to separate the seal from Naruto's body without severing the connection and rewrite it back to functionality and maybe upgrade it. I personally don't care about you or your people, but I _will _save my sochi's life. I suggest that you evacuate the hospital and at least everything or anyone in a five blocks radius."

And without waiting for a reply, the redhead walked away. The door closing behind her left a sense of finality to her words.

* * *

Time is not universal, but a property of the matter. It is not the same for everyone; it is relative. Last night, after restoring Naruto's physical health back to top notch after 73 hours of constant healing, the woman had slept 10 hours in a row, a new record for her, and they had felt like 10 minutes. The two hours between her abrupt exit from the 'Council of Morons' and the seal modification felt like 2 weeks. It wasn't even funny, but it was frustrating.

Still, Kurama had to pat herself at her acting skills. It seemed that she still had it!

It wasn't like she was happy by the suffering that Naruto had gone through caused by her oversight. She had underestimate the humanity of the villagers, or the lack of it, and her son had paid the price. But with the adversity, a hidden blessing came to them. It had been always one of her objectives to modify Naruto's seal to something more... useful for him, and her. But to do so, she needed all the precautions to avoid being discovered and stopped. Thankfully, since Naruto was in a forceful coma, she had, not only a perfect alibi, but the best opportunity that she could hope for.

It was true that the Yondaime's seal was damaged, but it wasn't too serious; the man had been a genius in the art, even by Uzumaki standards, and he had put backup instructions in the seal in the case that something bad happened to the main seal. Meaning? Kurama just dropped a mountain of BS on the Council regarding the seal; now she was about to modified with gusto, and nobody would question it. Because she had installed in them a sense of urgency, the Leaf was dancing at her pace, which will disable them to put in motion countermotion in case that they discover her trickery.

All the preparations were in place.

Entering the Sealed Room, a special ward sealed hermetically, covered in seal arrays of different kinds and purpose, used only in the riskiest of operations and treatments, Kurama walk over Naruto's sleeping form in the middle on the room before warding the whole place. The blonde was naked, his genitals covered by a folded blanket placed diagonally on his body. Naruto was laying on a perfectly cut rectangular rock that was _part _of the floor, and not stuck to it, in the middle of a ritual looking circle.

The redhead paused for an instant, looking tenderly at her son, caressing his left cheek before steeling herself. With a brush and a bottle of ink, the Uzumaki started to draw sealing arrays all over the blonde's body with the skill and easiness of an artist, because indeed, she was an artist of the highest caliber.

When she was done, she resealed the brush and the almost depleted ink in the pocket seal in her sleeve, and clapped her hands, like she was praying to a deity. In a way, that wasn't too far from the truth. Then, a phantasmagorian light emerged out of nothingness, evolving the Sealer and the Sealed in translucent whiteness.

* * *

When she opened her eyes after being near blinded by the unnatural light, Kurama saw herself standing in front of a massive cage, a paper over the locked doors with the kanji for 'seal' on it, and surrounded by sewers' water at ankle level.

Behind the bars of the massive gate, two enormous red, angry looking, slitted eyes were looking at her with a mix of intense curiosity and disdain. Some, a monstrous mouth appeared out the dark beneath the red eyes in a lethal looking smirk, showing a row of sharp teeth bigger than the woman herself.

"**Well, well. Isn't this a surprising visit? Who are you, **_**ningen**_**, to dare appearing in front my mighty presence?"**

"Stop playing around like you haven't notice _it_, yet." Said the Uzumaki Kurama with a nonsense attitude.

"**Oh, do tell. You smell like me, yet you are not me. You feel like me, and yet, you are not."**

"That's because in a sense I'm you. And like you, my name is Kurama."

"**DON'T DARE TO USE MY NAME!"**

"Ours, dear namesake of mine."

"**How do you...? Don't tell me... Are you really...?"**

"What, did Inari-sama eat your tongue. Indeed, I am who I am, Kurama. I am you."

"**You crossed **_**Atlas' Barrier**_**, Kyuubi no Kitsune, Kurama of another dimension." **It was a statement.

Atlas's Barrier wasn't its original name, but it was known among the outworldly immortals like that. It was a barrier, in layman terms, that was between the infinity amounts of dimensions, preventing that the dimensions collide between themselves and to also prevent that others, less benign, beings hoppe from one dimension to another like it had happened in the past. The only one that had the power to do so was The Creator, the Kami no Kami.

"Yes, I did, and I must say that I didn't expected to deal with the differences between us so soon, but the humans forced my hand."

"**How, by Inari's name, did you convinced **_**The Creator **_**to allow **_**you **_**to trespass Heavens that are not yours? And how you ended like a lowly human being?"**

"I didn't meet The Creator, if you are wondering, and I don't why I was given the chance. If I have to guess, I would say it was because how things ended in my dimension. I think that you have already noticed, the differences between us."

There were many actually, but the most glaring was their chakra. In Kurama's old dimension, the Yondaime took with him half of her chakra, her _Yang _chakra, and sealed the rest, her _Ying_ chakra in Naruto. In this dimension the opposite had happened. The Kyuubi had its Yang chakra, and she suspected that the Yondaime had taken the _Ying_ chakra with himself. Why the change? Did this version of the Fourth wanted to enhance Naruto's natural healing further instead of complimenting his lack of mental control with her _Ying _chakra like he had done in her old dimension? It was peculiar how that small change was cascading in different outcomes in this dimension, changes that weren't entirely result of her intervention.

"**What do you want, coming here? I'm unaware of what's going on outside this prison, but I had been feeling an increase of the drain on my power."**

"_It was unaware?! Why? I was able to see through Naruto's eyes since the beginning." _"I have a proposal to you. You are right, thinking that humans are weak and insignificant. They are ignorant of the Truth of the World where they live in. Yet, they had something that we had always desire but cannot get."

"**And now you will tell me that you are able to Ascend." **Said the mocking voice of the Fox, sneering at the stupidity of such statement.

"I don't know if I will be able to, but I have recieved my Revelation."

"**LIAR! YOU ARE TELLING IMPOSSIBLE LIES!"**

Kurama didn't respond, instead she closed her eyes in concentration. It was faint, but a soft golden glow surrounded the woman. When Kurama opened her eyes, which were golden coloured as well, she saw a bizarre sight: Kyuubi was trembling in fear and apprehension, pressing itself as much as it could against the farthest corner of the metaphysical cage.

_Well, it's only natural._ Mussed Kurama, her glow disappearing as it came while Kyuubi, noticing that it was gone, visibly relaxed back into his arrogant self. What she did was to show the Fox a _glimpse_ of something beyond him, something totally opposed at its nature. It wasn't chakra... it was something _else_.

"**DON' . .AGAIN! I'm the mighty Kyuubi no Kitsune, The Devourer of Gods. Pull a stunt like that again, and I will reduce your existence back to the nothingness where it came from." **A pause so the woman let sink its words.

"That may be, but the fact is that I'm ahead of you, Kyuubi. Hear my proposal at least."

"**I'm waiting."**

"Join your essence with mine, like that our power, our _**Onmyō**_, will be complete."

"**And what about my chakra? Are you suggesting that I leave it behind, ready to be taken by my current vessel?"**

"I'm. You know as I do that, when the _Shiki Fuin_ finish its work, your will be powerless regardless of what you do, but the difference is that you will end in the Shinigami's stomach for all eternity."

"**I will not reduce myself at a human level. I prefer to take my chances of the kid dying, releasing me sooner than expected."**

"And I'm telling you that it will not happen. I'm at his side and I will modify the seal to the point that only the Creator will be able to break it." She saw the Fox' confused face. "What?! Did you think I came unprepared? I have mastered all the knowledge of the sealing arts as the Uzumaki Clan knew it; that knowledge combined with my own vast experience allows me to do almost anything."

"**So, that's why and how you ended as a human AND a female." **Said Kyuubi with understandable realization in his evil looking gaze. **"You absorbed Mito's and Kushina's spiritual information."**

"I did, and it is something that seems beyond you."

"**It's not that I can't, it's that I don't want to. And, if I ever want low myself as a human, I will prefer to be male."**

Kurama rolled her eyes at his words. Then again, maybe his attitude was due because his nature was ruled by _their_ Yang chakra.

"So, are you in?"

"**Tell me something human, and don't lie because I **_**will **_**know if you do... Is it REALLY worth of it? To shred what you are for something that you are not sure will come to you?"**

Kurama was surprised at his question, but then thought for a moment, pondering her response. Was it worth of it? To throw away one's ungodly powers for _an opportunity_ to break their eternal chains. To be free. Because in the end, no matter how powerful could be a demon, there wasn't any chance to become better, to gain more power, unless one was crazy enough, lucky enough, to defeat a lesser Kami and eat it (there was a reason why the Kyuubi was called The Devourer of Gods) and even then, they would never be able to match the main Kamis. But humans, with all their fragility and their transitional state, could. Depending how they lived for their brief lives, they could Ascend under the right circumstances, because only they were souls with bodies or, in other words, Living Souls.

With a faint smile, Kurama told Kyuubi its answer.

"It is."

Kyuubi closed its eyes for a moment, before sighing.

"**Alright, I'll do it. How we are going to do this?"**

"Just will yourself to do it. The 'WE' will become an 'US'. We will be complete."

"**Do it!"**

Kurama didn't need to be told twice. Clasping her hands in a prayerful position like before, the woman was glowing blue while the Kyuubi in the cage was glowing red. Soon, the Fox let scape a roar of pain while it felt itself tearing apart, how its essence was separating itself from its demonic power. The red mass of condensed youki collapsed on itself, before turning into a glowing mini red sun that was floating in the ear like it wasn't affected by the gravity, perfectly still.

From the sphere, a little glob of red light got out moving rapidly through the caging bars and entering inside Kurama's chest, making her bluish glow turn into a purplish glow.

* * *

At the outside world, Kurama, who had her hands over Naruto's belly at the center of the spiral seal and her eyes closed, was glowing purple. Naruto, by his part, was covered in a golden coloured energy cocoon.

The walls of the Sealed Room started to melt.

.

.

.

.

.

And Cut.

Wow. This chapter turned to be really long. It was longer, but I decided to cut it here, and publish the rest on chapter of similar length in two or three weeks or so, after my finals.

Now the truth is starting to reveal itself. What do you think will happen? Next chapter will include the aftermath of Naruto's kidnapping/torture and Kurama's action. Was I too cruel with the culprits?

I look forward to read your responses, that had been marvelous so far.

**AN:**

**Onmyouji: **is a practitioner of the art of onmyōdō. Said art ia traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology, a mixture of natural science and occultism. It is based on the Chinese philosophies of Wu Xing and Yin and yang, introduced into Japan at the beginning of the 6th century. It was accepted as a practical system of divination. These practices were influenced further by Taoism, Buddhism and Shintoism, and evolved into the system of _onmyōdō_ around the late 7th century. _Onmyōdō_ was under the control of the imperial government, and later its courtiers, the Tsuchimikado family until the middle of the 19th century, at which point it became prohibited as superstition. (Source: wikipedia)

**Onmyō: **Literally 'Ying and Yang'.

**Asura: **In Hinduism, the Asuras are non-suras, a different group of power-seeking deities besides the suras, sometimes considered naturalists, or nature-beings. They are the forces of chaos that are in constant battle with Devas


	4. Act 1: Coral

**AN: **Wow, it has been... 4 months?! Sorry by my disappearing act. A combination of real life (including losing my job) and writer's block prevented me to work on this chapter, even if I had 60% of this chapter done by the end of May.

I personally want to thank **ferduran**, who always pm me to know how I was doing and keep asking me how the chapter was doing. I had to confess that one of the reasons I could finish this chapter was because his words. I also want to thank all those that took their time to leave a review. I usually respond them via pm, but some circumstances prevented me to do it this time, so I will respond some of those reviews here.

**ABitterPill: **Thanks for your words. This chapter may address some of your concerns about the Ninja Council, but keep in mind that many things are not what they seemed to be. I hope also that this didn't end too cliché for your taste.

**Duanemaster: **I'm glad that you think that. To answer your question, what Naruto has inside him is both the ying and the yang of the fox, while Kurama has its essence and will inside her. There is more in it than that, but that will be explained furthermore later on.

**Brand L**: Those are really good question, but sadly I will have to keep you in suspense since those deal with main plot points. But don't worry, you will be not disappointed.

**Shujin1**: I'll do my best, and hopefully this chapter will give you an idea of what's going on.

**ferduran:** This chapter is a result of our conversations. It is not what you exactly suggested, but you may recognise some of your ideas. I hope that you enjoy it.

And I hope that you don't kill for what is going to happen to little sweet Hinata at the end.

**Warning: This chapter is NOT betaed.**

* * *

**Those in the Spiral**

**Act 1**

**Chapter 4: Coral**

* * *

_**(Unknown place. Unknown time)**_

_It was feeling nothing. It could not remember how It arrived wherever It was. It was losing its sense of awareness, like the void that was surrounding It was absorbing its essence. _

_::Kyuubi, Kyuubi. Get out of your funk- ttebane!::_

_It knew that voice. It belonged to a human that It once knew. Yea, It was starting to remember, from where It knew that voice that seemed to come from everywhere at the same time and from nowhere as well. It belonged to an annoying human, to someone that It despised for so long. Her name, was elusive to It. The name, that repulsive name was..._

_**:: ...Kushina...::**_

_::Finally! I thought that you were going to play dead for all eternity- ttebane!::_

_It felt lethargic, numb and dizzy, but its annoyance and anger toward that voice was helping It to regain its bearings. _

_**::Even after death, you never lose your insolence::**_

_::Chillax, furball. You too are stuck in the same situation as me!::_

_**::Where are you? Show yourself so I can devour you and put your soul into good use!::**_

_::Sorry furball, but both us are incorporeal at the moment::_

_**::Stop speaking foolishness at once!: I'm not in the mood for your pranks.::**_

_::You don't remember what happened, don't you?::_

_That question, as mocking as it sounded, made the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the mightiest among the Tailed Beasts, paused. There was indeed a huge blank in its memory. How It arrived here, wherever 'here' was? The Kyuubi tried to concentrate, to remember as far as It could, something that took him less than a second, but for some reason the last 3 days of its life on Earth were gone. Kyuubi them pondered for a second what Kushina told It, and one word caught its attention: _incorporeal_._

_**::We are in The Ether, aren't we?::**_

_::You caught it fast- ttebane! We are in the Ethereal Horizon, to be precise::_

_**::The Horizon! You lied, disgusting human! You MAY be able to trespass The Horizon, but for me it's simple not possible to step in the Playard of the Gods!::**_

_Kyuubi's outburst was understandable. The Ethereal Horizon was, for a lack of better term, a holy dimension that was between the mortal plane and the heavenly planes. Cursed existences, like the Bijuu, had there the same chances of survival as a snowball in the center of the Sun. If there was any possible Beyond for the damned existences, it was The Abyss, somewhere that none Demon, God, or anything in between, wanted to be placed in._

_::Kyuubi, you were reunited with your brethren into the Juubi.::_

_**::If that's true, pray tell me then, how I'm... **_**here**_**, and why I cannot remember.::**_

_::Because my son and his mate used _The God's Tear_ to defeat the Juubi::_

_That made Kyuubi silent. The pieces fall right into place. To think that a human, it's previous host nonetheless, used one of the __**108 Divine Punishments**__... _

_::Furball, I had and offer to you::_

_**::And tell me Kushina, what kind of offer you had for someone, **_**something**_** like me that had been erased from **_**The****Swirling of the Root (1)**_**::**_

_::A chance for you to leave, and reach your _Full Potential_, and a chance for me to be with my son again::_

_**::... I'm listening...::**_

* * *

**(Konohagakure no Sato, Hidden Location)**

When Uzumaki Kurama opened her eyes, she discovered trails of tears sliding down her cheeks, her vision was blurry for a second, but she she couldn't sense any harmful intentions in the near vicinity.

"Good morning, Kurama-san, or rather, good evening."

The voice came from her left and it belonged to...

"Hokage-dono!"

Who was sitting in a plush chair, his pipe between his lips turned off, and looking vaguely amused.

"Those tears," he continued, "you were murmuring Naruto-kun's same over and over again. I gather that his recovery wasn't an easy feat to accomplish."

"I..." Kurama started, but trailed off, now fully aware that she didn't know _where_ was their current location.

"We are in a private ANBU quarter, underground Konoha."

"And Naru-chan?"

"Why don't you see it for yourself." The old man said pointing at a bed at her right that somehow had escaped her notice. On the bed, wrapped in blankets, was the blond kid sleeping peacefully. His breath was soft and steady casting the illusion that nothing was out of place, that the recent events were all but a hellish nightmare. But Kurama knew better. Walking to the bed and kneeling at the side, the woman started to softly touch the spiky blonde's kid hair, trying to tell herself that all this was real. She also took note that the whiskers on Naruto's face were darker and a faint shade of pale green on the cheeks while the same faint shades of green were underlying his eyes.

"_It seems that _IT_ worked after all. Kushina, even after dead you..."_

Kurama then paid more attention to her surroundings, taking notice of the small, spartan room where they were in. This was a room that an ANBU would definitely use.

"You now, your actions put in a rough spot, Kurama-dono. Please, let me finish." The Hokage said quickly when Kurama was about to interrupt him. "I understand your reasons, I can say that, had I been in your shoes, I would have done the same. That being said, I have lost 8 men and women, eight outstanding shinobi and kunoichi in their own right, when they tried to save their friends from their current suffering. Those Seals... Until now I had only heard about the Karmatic Seals in passing in some obscure texts, and I assure you that their very real power will haunt my dreams till the end of my days, and I'm hardly the only one. But the angry families, friends and comrades of the victims crying for your head is the least of my concerns. Naruto's status as a jinchuuriki is now public domain. And not only to our dear citizens. We have confirmed that, taking advantage of the confusion that all this mess caused, some of the spies in Konoha flee back to wherever they came from. If the other nations didn't knew or suspected of Konoha having their own jinchuuriki, now they know for sure, and not only that, but that said jinchuuriki is also an Uzumaki and is living with another Uzumaki, both part of _THAT_ clan, and one of them is easily the strongest Seal Mistress in Fire Country."

"Are you seeing my problem now, Kurama-san? Can you get a glimpse of where I'm standing at the moment?"

Kurama had the decency to blush, but her gaze only became harder and was staring back at the evened glare that the Hokage was giving her. Said glare had, quite literally, claimed the life of lesser men.

"Tell me Kurama-san, if you had been in my shoes, what would you had done?"

"I would have made sure that something like this never happened in the first place."

"I get that, believe me, I do, but alas, insight will only take us so far." Shifting his pipe between his lips, the Hokage spoke again, while Kurama saw the slight twitch in the old man's fingers, surely anxious to light the damned thing on. "Are you going to tell me what did you do back there that, not only melted down our hospital's most potent Sealed Room (one constructed by Hashirama-sama himself) but also half of said hospital's structure?" The old man punctuated his words raising an eyebrow in wonder. It was a polite phrased order.

"Are you going to share this with you Council?"

"That depends. If I found it_ worthy of their attention_, then yes."

"Then, I will give you a summary of the majority of things that I did, but I will to talk about only once to them."

"I will see what I can do." Kurama knew that it was the only concession that she would obtain from the old warrior in front of her.

"Fine. Well, what I did was..."

* * *

**(Konohagakure no Sato, Council Chambers)**

A 'lie' can be defined as 'an statement to hide the truth'.

"... and that's what happened." Finished Kurama, after detailing the events that had bringed Knoha to its knees. Or at least her _version_ of them.

At the moment, Kurama was BSing the Shinobi Council with truths that were hidden bigger truths, with some tweaks.

"So, let me see if I got this straight." Started Homura, one of the Hokage advisors and old teammate of the leader. "You separated the seal that the Fourth placed on Uzumaki Naruto to hold the Kyuubi, repaired said seal, them copied, and took the Kyuubi's chakra, divided its Ying and Yang, leaving the Yang on Naruto to help him heal while you took within yourself the copy of the seal and the demon's Ying. Did I understood correctly, Uzumaki-dono?"

"In a nutshell...yeah."

"There is something I don't understand." Stated Inoichi, with a concentrated frown on his face. "Why divide the demon's chakra? One may question your motives behind such decisions."

"You will have to thank the stupidity of your citizens for that." The response was witty and coupled with a glare. "Until now, while under the abuse that your _people_ inflicted on my son caused damages that the seal was forced to repay utilizing the demonic chakra that it had been trying to convert to normal chakra, damaging _slightly_ each time the seal's main filter. Luckily for you, Naruto's Uzumaki bloodline helped a lot with the strain that was putting said process on the conversion function of the seal. With time, the filter was eroding beyond repair, and the actions of _those beasts_ only quickened the corrosion." Each word was like jabbing daggers to the Council, who looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"And what would had happened if this _filter_ that you spoke of had crashed?" Asked a nondescript civilian member of the council.

"It depends of how far the conversion process is. I estimate that the filter would had failed between his 14th and 16th birthday thus having at least 60% of the Kyuubi chakra converted to normal chakra. Under those conditions I will say that Konoha, and everything in a mile radius, will be evaporated and the youki unleashed would disable anything alive for the next 4 to 5 decades, or so."

That caused murmurs through the council chambers while the Hokage looked contemplative. In truth, he was amused by their reactions, because Kurama and he had planned how this session was going down to the 'T'. Maybe Shikaku had realized this as well, but was playing along. Now, the difficult part was coming and they needed to sell, so to speak, their prefered course of action.

"Since I inhabilitated your hospital, I will spend the next four days reconstructing it up to optimal functioning and will create another two Sealed Rooms to help with the critical operations that the medic staff may face in the future. Afterwards, I will heal Kurama Yakumo." So far, not objections were voiced, but Kurama knew that the next piece of news will unsettle them. "After Kurama Yakumo's intervention, I will take my son and will depart from the village for an undetermined amount of time."

The voices of protests made themselves known immediately. Some were even asking for Kurama's head, accusing her of treason and sabotage. All of them were silenced by a powerful, yet calm and controlled, KI.

"I believe that, if we ask for an explanation, Kurama-dono can state her reasoning behind her decision."

Kurama was visibly amused, seeing the council members squirm on their seats, at least most of them. Many of the shinobi side were uncomfortable, but endured with dignity their leader's presence.

"The reasons are two-folded. The first, and foremost: Naruto needs breathing space, way far from any citizen of the Leaf. Even if he is physically recovered, mentally he is not. And a prolonged absence is something that he properly needs. The second is for your own safety."

"The _Shiki Fuin_ is seal-work that requires the help of the Shinigami himself. What I did was the best option that we had that was 'safe', but it was not the best solution. One of the reasons that I sealed Kyuubi's Ying in me was because I, as an Uzumaki, could withstand the strain to my chakra network; also because it was needed. Slowly, Naruto's seal is symphoning the Ying back into him. Until them, if any of us perished or our seals are damaged in any shape or form, the Demon will be freed as result."

"Then it will make more sense if you are locked under special security and constant vigilance." Proposed Homura, the advisor.

"Lord Hokage, I don't think that letting Uzumaki-san and Uzumaki Naruto out of the village is the best course of action." Stated Koharu, the other advisor, who was also frowning upon the redhead seated in front of them.

Many concurred with the honorable advisors in that regard. Curiously enough, the Yamanaka's, Nara's Akaimichi's and Hyuuga's Heads, alongside with a contemplative Danzo, reminded silent. They knew their leader well enough to notice that something was off. Sarutobi Hiruzen was too calm.

"With all respect, _honorable counselors, _I wasn't asking your permission. That is what is going to happen." Even Danzo was pulled out of his internal musings by Kurama's boldness.

"How dare you to display such blasphemous, abrasive attitude within these sacred walls!" Cried outrighted one of the lesser shinobi clan's head.

"You really don't know with who you are dealing with, don't you?" Seeing the confused looks of the council members, Kurama decided to continued. She quickly noted though that Danzo had realized something. "You haven't considered, had you? Why, despite bringing people to be your clients or destinataries from other countries, WHY Konoha hasn't been invaded by other villages or had a lot more spies in it despite the size of the village?" By this point, Kurama had their total attention. It was obvious that her words were food for thought. "It simple, _honorable council,_ it is because the greatness of seals."

"Maybe your memories are damaged, but you should recall that the Senju and the Uzumaki were cousins. At the request of Lord Founder, our people came to help them to built this village, especially around their defenses. It was thanks to us that the Stone Wall has resisted all these decades. And it is thanks to our seal-work that Konoha's ghostlike nature had been preserved. One pulse of my chakra, and those protection will be gone, and your safe little turf will ceased to be."

"Hokage-sama, this can't be serious. This is..."

"...Exactly as it sounds." Replied the old leader calmly. "Kurama-dono speaks the truth. She, as the survivor of the principal family line, had an inherited control over the wards and barriers that protect our village." Sarutobi responded, not bothered at all. Or at least, that's what he wanted to portray. In truth, he too was surprised by these. Kurama did not tell him what she was planning and how she would assure that the Council would _comply_ with her wishes. Now he knew, and he was impressed, if bothered by the facts that were now presented in front of him.

Kurama was awed by the Hokage acting skills. If she hadn't know that the Old Leader was ignorant to all of what she said, she would have believed that the man was in the 'in' of the situation. The rumour that the God of Shinobi' most lethals skills were outside the battlefield now ringed some truth in them. A worthy opponent, if she had ever seemed one.

Danzo, on the contrary, was _slightly _frowning, though with the bandages was difficult to tell. To have such a flaw in their security didn't seated well with him.

Shikaku, after being mostly quiet through all the ordeal, decided to speak.

"Hokage-sama, how far does Kurama-dono and Naruto-san will travel? If something happens, they may need assistance should trouble arise." Of course, the Nara already had figured out their plan, and he was playing alone with his leader. The question would help to overcome the reluctance of the Leaf's Higher Stations regarding the departure of the Uzumaki.

"We will be within Fire Country's borders, if that is what you are asking, and only Sarutobi-dono will know the exact location." Answered Kurama, helping the charade. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a lot work to do."

Her words gave off a sense of finality that didn't fade even after she was gone from the Chambers without waiting the protests that were sure to come.

* * *

**(Konohagakure no Sato, near the Hospital's ruins)**

Dr. Kuroki, the current Director of the Hidden Leaf's Medical Facilities, was worried. Why? Uzumaki Kurama, in her efforts of saving her son, and village as a whole in the process, after the backlash of actions that the 'Infamous Avengers', as they had been called of recently, had caused an instability in the seal that had been keeping the Kyuubi no Kitsune at bay, had destroyed his hospital.

She had promised that she would rebuild it in four days time, which sound ludicrous to him, but decided to take a 'wait and see' approach in the matter. Three day had pass and nothing was done, except that the redhead ordered to finish her job destroying the hospital until none stones and columns remained standing.

And now, said redhead was 10 steps away looking at a scroll that seemed meaningless to him. Shaking his head while muttering about crazy redheads, remembering another Uzumaki from his past, the doctor walked to the Seal Mistress, wondering what else could go wrong with the world.

* * *

Despite what many may think, Uzumaki Kurama was not crazy. She thought... differently than the common folk or the not so common extravagant ninja... but crazy, she was anything but. And even if she was muttering to herself while watching the opened scroll in front of her, she did not considered herself a nutjob. In her increasing experience, the Sealing Arts were that, an Art that was worthy of appreciation and admiration. The redhead wondered why she hadn't bothered with it before... or any other human skill for that matter. Then again, she didn't need to.

Now, with the matter at hand, no pun intended, Kurama was analysing the Sealing equivalent of the ruined hospital 'blueprints', which had took her the total of thirteen hours to complete, and other twelve hours to adjust and improve some features. Internally, Kurama was colored impressed by Senju Hashirama's ingenuity. The Sealed Room that she had ruined was constructed in such a way that it tapped the Ley Lines that were crossing through the village without its Flux Contamination harming the quirurgical processes being held within at the same time that the strain of said processes unto the performing doctors were kept to a bare minimum. If Kurama had to guess, she would say that the Shondaime had build the Hospital with that sole purpose in mind. Heck, is was possible that the whole village was built where it was built because of that. And in her haste to save her Naru-chan, she had ruined such a beauty. She even felt ashamed for her actions, even if it was for its Sealing Works alone.

But now, she would make it better, or Ramen wasn't THE Food of the the Gods.

"UZUMAKI-SAN! UZUMAKI-SAN." Somebody was yelling her name next to her and, for some reason unknown to her, the voice sounded pissed. Kurama got out of her Ramen Filled Phantasies and saw how an old looking doctor was looking at her with an annoyed red face.

"What's up old man?! Why so loud so early?"

"Such disrespect! I have been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes! I don't care what the Genzo-sensei says about your medical skills! You youngsters should always be polite to us your betters."

"How old are you... 75? 80?" Replied Kurama noneplaused.

"82 proud years."

"And you know that I'm an Uzumaki, right? I have like... the double of your age."

Any protests that the old doctor had died in his mouth after hearing her reply. _"And she looks not older than twenty! Damned Mito-sama, your family is a bunch of ageless monsters as you were. "_ **(2) **

"Now that we are done with that, I may continue the hard work here, _bozu_ **(3).**"

"What hard work?! The hard work was done by OUR ninja on your orders. After three days of the four that you PROMISED, nothing has been done except cleaning the ruins of our beloved medical sanctuary. A Sanctuary that our beloved constructed with his own hands, and that YOU DESTROYED!"

Kurama looked unmoved by his words, raising one of her eyebrows clearly not impressed.

"If you are done, tell everybody around to get out of here in a 10 meters radius."

"And now you... What? 10 meters?"

"Are you deaf?"

"Why, you..."

"Stop complaining and just do what I said. The sooner you do, the sooner I will be able to leave this place."

The old doctor stop to think what Kurama had just said, taken by his own anger, and only marched away to tell the ninja to evacuate the perimeter while bristling with anger.

It only took 8 minutes to do so.

When Kurama sensed that her asked radius was clear of human life, she opened further the scroll that she had in hand and put it on the floor. Then clasping her hands, she started to channel her chakra.

"**Mokuban: Kikori no jiku! (**Wood Seal: Axis of the lumberjack**)**" palming her hands on the opened scroll at her feet. Immediately, huge glowing green and blue seals appeared, one at the top of the other, where the hospital used to be. One had the kanji for 'Wood' and other for 'Steel'.

Out of the earth, like vines, twisting chunks of concrete, metal and wood grew out until it turned into a metamorphic mass of materials that rapidly took the shape of a building.

A hospital building to be exact.

In less than a minute, a new hospital building was standing were the old one had been. Of course, a building literally growing out the blue called the attention of the nearby population, if the approaching signatures that the redhead was sensing were anything to go by.

What Kurama did was simple in theory, but not so simple in practice and it was based in a basic principle: every jutsu in existence could be described in a sealing array/formula. Simply put, if a ninja wanted to create a Fireball, he or she could use the handsings and chakra molding to shoot a Fireball or, you could describe the fireball (how much chakra it needed, the magnitude of the heat, its range, its degree of control, etc.) The latter wasn't combat effective at all, but to study and modify jutsus, it was one of the best methods, and for jutsu creation from scratch it was the best. Kurama created a specific technique, similar to what that weirdo clone of the First, Yamato-san if she remember correctly, who could create buildings in one go with his ripped off Mokuton, and created a hospital building.

In layman's terms: she took a blueprint of a building from the 2D plane to the 3D world.

"_Take that, Senju-teme. I outclassed your Mokuton building skills in one go."_ Mentally smirked Kurama, while enjoying the awed and shocked faces that both the old pestering director and the Hokage portrayed when she explained to them, thirty minutes later, what the heck she had done and how.

* * *

Kurama Murakumo and his beloved wife were seated outside the newly built hospital's Sealed Room, or one of them. He, like the rest of the village, were perplexed at the skill that the Kurama had in the obscure knowledge of sealing. They were bound not to, she was an _**Uzumaki**_ afterall, but they were nonetheless.

And now, two days after the reopening of the hospital, their little girl was in the redhead's hands in hopes that she could be cured.

After what happened to the Kyuubi vessel, the Kurama Parents had feared that the seal mistress would had held responsible the whole village for the fiasco, and they wouldn't blame her in the slightest if she did, change her mind about helping everything and anything Konoha-related. During those days, after Uzumaki Naruto's rescue and recovery period, the leader of the Illusionist had talked with with wife about the possible outcomes that could result out the situation.

"_My husband, if Kurama-dono decided not to help us anymore, are we willing to let our daughter suffer or do we forsake our alliance with the village?_"

"_I...don't know..._"

Her wife had asked the question, and he had answered truthfully. What would have been his choices? Kurama Murakumo didn't know the answer to that question, and that didn't sit well with him., because in the end it could be resumed in decision between the village and his daughter. Thankfully, his preoccupations were for naught.

The doors of the room opened quietly, but the parents both stood up at once, ready to run into the room to see their daughter, even if they had to run over the woman that held their Yakumo's life in her hands. And... the Uzumaki's smiling face told them all what they needed to know.

"It was a success!"

* * *

Kurama was exhausted. She could literally feel _**her**_ overheated chakra coils cooling down while _**her**_ chakra became passive through all her chakra network. Even she, with all her confidence in her skills, she was awed by the outcome of the little girl intervention. What she did... what she did was nothing short of a medical miracle.

Kurama literally opened Yakumo like she was gutting a fish, took out ALL her bone structure while somehow keeping the little girl organs, muscles and blood in place, and forcefully regrew a new bone structure within her from the core ingredient for these operation be successful: a Kaguya spinal bone and cord. It was actually what she had received from Sayuri when she was outside the village.

The Kitsune had traveled to the Water Country to pick two kids, to survivors of the Bloody Mist's Clan Purges: Yukimura Haku and Kaguya Kimimaro. Kurama, before her arrival to the Hidden Leaf, had actually met with Sayuri and the runaways, and had healed the little bone user of his rare illness, and let them in the care of the Kitsune, to help their recovery. When Kurama Murakumo had visited her, she had sent a secret message to Kimimaro through Sayuri asking him if he could be the donor of the necessary parts for Yakumo's possible operation. The kid not even hesitated, agreeing immediately.

Like Kurama had planned. Now, she not only had Naruto as her son, but two bloodline users under her wing and the Kurama Clan indebted to her, and by extension, to Naruto as well.

Kurama would do everything she could to dissuade her son of becoming a ninja but, if he choose the path of the ninja anyway, he would have a power base to start with. But now, seeing at the Kuramas crying in relief and happiness, the Uzumaki could allow her heart to rest from such worries until the moment present itself.

"Can we see our daughter?" Asked Kurama Uroko.

"You will, but first, we need to let the ambiental chakra in the room to stabilize." Started Kurama as the other doctors that oversaw the operation got out of the room before sealing it again. "While that is happening I need to explain some things to you about Yakumo's rehabilitation. And don't worry, I'm a clone. The orginal me is inside, smoothing some loose ends."

Understanding the necessity of the security protocols in place, the parents nodded before sitting down again with Kurama's clone following their example. They were anxious though and it was showing. Their place was at their daughter's side. Then, the redhead started to explain the important points that she needed to drill in the parents' heads.

"The rehabilitation will be twice as hard for Yaku-chan than was the operation. It will be strict and tedious, but it will ensure a 100% recovery rate. It will consist..."

* * *

**(Konohagakure no Sato, Hyuuga Compounds) **

The world was cruel and merciless. It was not a place for the weak. It was not a place for the defenseless. And those in a ninja village understood that principle really well. But it was in those families with shinobi tradition that knew it the best, the lesson being carved with blood, metal and fire on their souls and in their minds. Sometimes on their flesh as well.

The Hyuuga Clan was not an exception. Thus, they seek the ultimate strength, because said strength was perfection.

Immaculate. Unblemished. _Perfect_.

These were the goals, the values, that all Hyuuga strived for, _should _strive for. There was no place for the weak.

* * *

"Father. I'm in need of your help." said a little girl, not older than eight years old (though she looked younger than that), with a sense of cuteness that was lost at her serious demeanor. Her name was Hyuuga Hinata, oldest child and heir of Hyuuga Hiashi. And said girl was bowing in total submission without losing the elegance or the charm of someone of noble station.

"_Well, at least she knows her etiquette with perfection worthy of the Hyuuga. If only she could do likewise in everything else..."_ were the thoughts of the Clan Head, and the bowing girl's father. It was not a secret that the stoic man regarded his eldest daughter with...disappointment.

The girl in question had resulted a total failure in all the practical and combat lessons traditional for all members of the Hyuuga family. She was weak, plain and simple, and lacked the will to take advantage of the situation presented to her. Her little sister, Hanabi, was already a lot more progress and promise than her, and she was almost four years younger.

Hiashi was wondering what to do with his eldest, because it was solidifying in his mind that the sorry excuse of a Hyuuga in front of him was unable and under qualified to be the Heiress of the Noble Hyuuga Clan.

That being said, Hiashi was kind of interested into why his daughter carried herself with apparent confidence (even if he had noticed the small tremble in her hands) and wasn't displaying her usual, meek, shameful behavior. Testing the waters, the Clan Head stayed in silence for the next 5 minutes or so, while Hinata didn't move in the slightest, waiting patiently only a turn to speak was given to her.

"_Like she had been taught."_

"Hinata, raise your head and tell me why _you_ seek _my_ aid."

Hinata raised her head as toll, and looked into her father's eyes without looking disrespectful.

"_Chichi-ue __**(4)**_, I need you to escort me to see Uzumaki Kurama-dono."

That... wasn't what Hyuuga Hiashi had expected from this peculiar conversation. It bothered him though. The implication of Hyuuga Ko in the fiasco that revolved around Uzumaki Naruto almost a week ago had become a migraine of Kage proportions. The culprits current..._unfortunate..._ situation at the hands of Uzumaki Kurama, adoptive mother of the victim, wasn't helping matters either. Hiashi had been reuniting with the other clan heads, with the Hokage and with the Hyuuga Elders almost daily to find a solution to their problems. And with the older Uzumaki rebuilding the hospital, healing the Kurama's clan Heiress (something that had secretly surprised him) and her other business, it had been impossible to meet with her to negotiate their standing as clan with the Uzumaki.

"With what purpose? What do you want with _her._"

"To fulfill my duty as the Heiress of the Hyuuga."

Who was the young girl in front of him? Maybe Hiashi had judge her daughter too soon. For the first time, in a long time, the Clan Head did not see his meek daughter, but a proud heiress worthy of the Hyuuga name. And for an instant, just for a second, he could see the visage of his beloved wife.

"_Hitomi..." _He murmured, half surprised, half remembering a lost memory.

* * *

**(Konohagakure no Sato, Uzumaki Workshop)**

"Naru-chan, are you ready? We gonna go in 20 minutes." Said Kurama while she sealed the last of her possessions in a scroll that she sealed as well within her body, or more exactly, in the seal array within her body. One of her most ingenious ideas, is he said so herself.

"I'm done Kaa-_san_." Naruto said quietly.

Kurama noticed the change in the suffix, but didn't comment on it. It hurt her in ways that she could not fathom, enough that she wanted to cry. But in a way, she deserved it. She was partially at fault and that was the meaning of being human again.

"_Still, how people can live on filling this pain?" _She wondered, she already knew the answer. It was because they were weak that they could strive to become something more than maggots. _"Such amazing creatures, humans are."_

"Okay, then, let's go now so we can stop at Ichiraku's for one last... eh?" Kurama had opened the door and was getting out with Naruto in tow when she was stopped by an strange visage: eight years old Hyuuga Hinata was kneeling on the dirt, forehead touching the ground, while the Clan Head of the Hyuuga was standing next to her with his stoic facade (though Kurama noticed the slight trembling in his hands) in front of their residence.

"Uzumaki-sama, in the name of the Hyuuga Clan I, as its heiress, ask for forgiveness, and plead in behalf of our clansmen for the atrocities done upon your son by one of our own. Furthermore..."

"Raise your head, Hyuuga Hinata, Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan. Your words are neither necessary... or enough." Said Kurama, with a serious tone. Closing the door, she then stared at Hiashi, wondering what was his game. "Hiashi-dono, what do you...?"

"Hiashi-sama is not to be blamed for this, Uzumaki-sama. It was me who asked him to come to meet you. Please, hear me." The girl never raised her head, never removed her forehead from the ground. "Ko-san is good person. He lost his parents and his beloved during the Kyuubi attacks. He had put a brave front for everybody else, but he had never stop hurting for his lost. I know that what he did was irrational and had not excuse, but please, please... Even if he did bad things to Naruto-sama, even if you hate him, or our clan for the rest for your live, please... Return him to us. Let his suffering come to an end."

Kurama, the ANBU that were hidden around them, even the ever stoic Hiashi was perplexed by the little girl's words. Those were not the words of a child, but a matured woman. But no one was more affected than one Uzumaki Naruto, who was currently hiding behind his mother legs. Yes, he recognised the little girl kneeling in front of them how the girl that he saved from the bullies not so long ago. At first, he was flinched and was scared by those pearly white eyes that were all too similar to one of the bad men that made bad painful things with him. He wanted them to go away. But now, Naruto was confused.

"_Ko is the name of one of the bad men. Why is she defending them? I thought that we became friends. But she is a good person, why then she is helping a bad person?"_

"Those are impressive words, Heiress Hinata, but they are just words. I almost lose my son thanks to your clansman and, as you are now aware, his actions almost caused a disaster, almost released the Kyuubi upon all Konoha endangering the lives of everybody in it, yours included. That's something that cannot be forgiven easily, if possible."

"Yet, despite everything, you were able to save Naruto-sama. I'm trying to do the same thing with somebody from my family. You understand, you know why I beg you now to end his suffering."

"Sorry child, but actions bring consequences. His punishment will help him understand what he did was wrong, he needs to lose something important to learn the wrong his ways." Kurama's words were calm, but she couldn't help herself. Hyuuga Hinata had gained her eternal respect. Not only as Uzumaki Kurama, but as the once mighty demoness that she had been.

"Something important? Then, Uzumaki-sama, allow me to take his place." Raising her head, looking first at Naruto, who shied away from her gaze and then staring directly at the redhead's eyes, and before anybody could react on time, Hyuuga Hinata, without doubt or hesitation, plugged and destroyed her innocent big eyes with her fingers.

"HINATA" "HINATA" Were the yells around the girl, an increasing pool of blood forming in the ground while tears-like trails of blood cascaded from her porcelain face.

"Please, Uzumaki-sama, this... this is all I can do." Said the cracked, pain filled, girl's voice.

Kurama reached her first, immediately drawing seals with the girl's blood to help stop the bleeding. Her face was horrified, while ANBU agents fell upon them trying to do something, anything, to help, while Hyuga Hiashi, for the first time in his life, did not move a muscle, totally in shock, unable to comprehend what the heck just happened, coming to a realization that horrified him, as as the Hyuugas as a whole: he didn't _**see**_ this coming.

"_What kind of cruel and twisted world would cause an eight year old girl to go to such lengths." _Kurama pondered absentmindedly._ "Who I am kidding? I'm part of this world. This is my fault. I'm sorry Hinata. I promised to make this better."_

"_And that is the promise of a lifetime."_

* * *

**(Lighting Country, Kumogakure no Sato)**

Kira A, the Yondaime Raikage was reading the report in his hand with, until now, unwitnessed focus. Mabui was wondering what had caught her leader's attention, who always had little patience for paperwork.

The muscular big black Kage put the paper down, sighing, worry all over his face represented by a deepened frown. But the glint of anticipation in his eyes was unquestionable.

"Mabui..."

"Hai, Raikage-sama!"

"Call Yugaito and R, ASAP. Things had become... interesting."

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

And cut!

Who saw that one coming?

I hate myself for what I made Hinata do, and it will get worst, but I promise that it will be worth of it later... in the end... maybe? With his chapter the Kurama's Arc with Yakumo comes to end... for now. They will come back on later chapters. Now things will be centered more around Naruto and Hinata fro a while with glimpses of what is happening in the world far from them.

You know that drill, R&R.

Notes:

**1) **The Swirling of the Root, aka The Spiral of the Origin, aka The Akashic Records. You may had heard of this before, since the concept is really old among humankind beliefs, but basically is can be considered THE Library that had all the knowledge of all creation of all the times. That is a REALLY simplified version of it, so I prompt you to google it and learn more about that.

**2) **Brownie points to those who guess from where that phrase was paraphrased from.

**3) **_Bozu_ is an old way to say to little children _kit. _It is usually use by really old folk to call the youngsters while they are bossing them around. Hence, why Kurama is calling the old Director like that, if only he knew how old is she.

**4) **_Chichi-ue_, is a really formal and extremely respectful way to call one's father. It literally means 'Honorable Father'. _Haha-ue_ is the version for mother.

**Next update estimation: **_Around 20 days._


End file.
